Hogwarts: Behind Closed Doors
by The Love Child Of McGonagall a
Summary: Hi, I'm just trying to get the hang of the whole chaptering thing, so please just bear with me if this doesn't work ok?
1. Default Chapter

Part One

Harry dragged his feet as he let Ron and Hermione lead him towards his next lesson-Potions.

"Cheer up Harry!" Ron grinned, slapping him on the back. "You look as if you've got the weight of the world on your shoulders!"

"Sorry, I'm just really dreading Potions today," Harry apologised. He sighed, and picked up his pace a little, not wanting to be late. He'd certainly hate for Professor Snape to have yet another reason to pick on him! Although things had definitely been improving lately. Ever since he'd seen what he had.

Entering the room and taking a seat at the back, Harry let his mind wander yet again, to what he had stumbled in on at the weekend.

It was Sunday evening and Harry was just down the corridor from Professor McGonagall's office. He had to hand in a piece of homework, but from what he could hear, she was not in a good mood. She was having a blazing row with someone, who, as he drew nearer and peeked through a crack in the door, he identified as Snape.

He watched with curiosity the scene that was unfolding before him: Professor McGonagall was stood near the centre of the room, facing Professor Snape.

"Serverus, I have told you time and time again that on Saturday evenings the Quidditch pitch belongs to Gryffindor! Slytherin do not have permission to practice at the same time!" Red spots were starting to glow on her cheeks.

"Minerva please! Slytherin do need to practice too!"

"Well then you should have booked the slot yourself!"

"I shall take this up with Dumbeldore!"

"You do that then, see where that gets you! An angry silence filled the room and for a second, Harry was almost afraid that Snape would strike his head of house. But instead, he did something completely different. The tension in her jaw relaxed and, almost as if in slow motion, he reached up a hand and slowly stroked her cheek.

Minerva felt herself start to protest, but something stopped her. Maybe it was the strange, unfamiliar way he was looking at her, or the comfortable warmth his hand provided her cheek with, but either way, she found herself stepping towards him slowly.

Serverus wanted to step back, to pull his hand away from her face and flee the room, but he was rooted to the spot. For a long moment, they started tentatively into each other's eyes, then oh so slowly; Minerva started to walk towards him. He put his hands round her waist and pulled her close to him, then, without thinking, he moved his mouth towards hers.

As their lips drew ever closer together, Minerva felt her doubts begin to slip away. She stopped thinking about how she shouldn't be doing what she was, and concentrated on how good it felt to be held lovingly in Serverus's arms. And then finally, their lips met and for a long moment, they were lost in oblivion.

Stood at the door, harry realised that he probably shouldn't be watching, and turned to walk away. What he hadn't counted on however, was tripping on a chair placed outside the office and bringing it down on top of himself with a loud crash.

Inside the room, Minerva and Serverus pulled away from each other, startled. Dashing to the door, Snape grabbed Harry by the collar of his robe, before he had chance to run away.

"Potter!" Snape growled. "I should have known. What do you want?" He shook Harry angrily, not loosening his grip on his collar.

"Let him go Serverus," McGonagall commanded coolly from the doorway. "We don't know what he's seen." Unwillingly, Snape let go of Harry robes.

"So, Potter," he fumed. "What exactly have you seen?"

"N….n….nothing sir!" Harry stuttered. "I especially didn't just see you and Professor McGonagall kissing in her office!" he could have kicked himself. Snape started to turn a funny beetroot colour, but McGonagall pushed past him. Putting a hand on Harry's shoulder, she bent down and smiled at him kindly.

"Now Harry," she started. "I think we both know that you should probably keep what you just saw secret. Don't you agree it's for the best?" Harry found himself compelled to nod in agreement. "Good lad. Now hand me your homework and run along." And that was where Harry had left them.

He didn't know what had happened after he had left, but he was certainly curious. It was hard not to tell Ron and Hermione, but he knew he couldn't break his word to Professor McGonagall. He'd just been grateful for the fact he didn't have a Potions lesson until Wednesday.

The few times he'd passed Snape in the school's corridors, he'd smiled and nodded nervously in Harry's direction, but Harry still wasn't too keen on spending an hour in lesson with him.

However the lesson passed, much to Harry's surprise, the same way his Transfiguration class the day before had-without event. It was only when the class had been dismissed and Harry was on his way out that Snape spoke up.

"Um, Harry, a word if you please?" Malfoy and his gang sniggered as Harry was forced to wait until the class had left the room.

"Listen, I know you said you wouldn't tell anyone what you saw on Sunday, but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind me doing a little spell to make sure you don't let anything slip?" Harry started to protest. "Now I can't do anything without your consent of course, as the spell would require you taking a potion but-"

"Sir, I don't get it! If you and Professor McGonagall are in love then why-"

"Professor McGonagall and I are not in love! I'll have you know that I haven't even spoken to her since Sunday evening!"

"Okay, but if it's all the same to you sir, then I'd rather not take the potion!" Harry grinned cheekily as he sauntered out of the room. With two teachers afraid of what he might say, he had a feeling that this term was going to turn out to be funner than most!


	2. Default Chapter Title

Part Two

Professor Snape buried his head in his hands and kicked the leg of his desk in frustration. It was half eleven Sunday evening and he was alone in his room trying to mark the Potions homework his Hufflepuff forth years had handed to him earlier on. With one problem. He couldn't concentrate.

No matter how hard he tried; he couldn't stop thinking about the previous Sunday. Or about how infuriating that Potter boy was. But mostly, about _her_.

She'd been on his mind all week, that much he couldn't deny. But the most maddening thing was-he didn't know why! She being, of course, Minerva McGonagall.

Snape reasoned with himself. He didn't even like Professor McGonagall! She was an annoying woman who took pride in the fact her Quidditch team were able to make his team look like a bunch of first years! _Then why did you kiss her? _A voice in the back of his head asked. Snape growled viciously as he stood up and knocked his chair to the floor as he stormed out of the room.

Professor McGonagall sighed. She was sat in the staff room in a comfy chair reading a very good book infant of a blazing fire, listening to Professors Sprout and Lupin chattering merrily. She should have been perfectly content. But she wasn't.

No matter what she thought about, her mind kept slipping back to the same thing. Serverus Snape. It wasn't like she could help it. Infact she wished she could get him out of her head. But the fact he was always in her thoughts only served to heighten her disliking of the man.

"What's up Minnie? Having a bad day?" Lupin asked. She smiled apologetically. Now Lupin she liked. He was the best Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher that Hogwarts had had in a long time and she had been very glad when he had decided to return to his post for a second year. Although Serverus had been livid……._Damn!_ She thought. There she went again, thinking about Serverus Snape! With a sigh, she closed her book and headed towards her office. She needed to get her thoughts together and she needed to do it fast.

After checking for the second time there were no Slytherin witches or wizards creeping around after lights out, Professor Snape gave a great sigh. It was no use. He was going to have to talk to her about how he felt. _But how can I?_ He thought. _When I don't even know myself?_ Despite his unwillingness though, he knew what he must do. Slowly, he set off towards the staff room.

Walking down one of the many corridors that led to her office, Professor McGonagall was a confused woman. How could she be having feelings for a man whom, when she allowed herself to be completely honest, she loathed? Professor Snape was a cold, mean hearted man who terrified most of the Hogwarts students. _But an exceptionally good kisser._ She reminded herself. She felt like breaking something.

The staff room was warm and inviting. No wonder Snape had never been able to stand it in there. Poking his head round the door he could see that Professor McGonagall wasn't present; however before he could get away, he was spotted.

"Ah, Serverus! Come to join us?" Professor Lupin enquired in a friendly manner.

"Not right now," he growled, hoping to beat a hasty retreat.

"Oh come on! Relax! Put your feet up!" Professor Sprout encouraged.

"No, really, I don't have time right now!" he protested.

"Then why did you come here, if not to relax?" Lupin wondered.

"Actually, if you must know, I'm looking for Professor McGonagall. We need to discuss Quidditch timetables. Have you seen her?"

"Ohhh!" Professor Lupin commented, in apparent realisation. (For it was common knowledge around the school that the two were unable to agree on their houses practice times.) "Yes, she was in here earlier, I think she went to her office. Oh, and Serverus? Go easy on her, I think she's having a bad day," Professor Snape was already halfway out of the room. He couldn't stand that man!

There was a light on in Minerva's office, he could see it through a crack in the door. As it was slightly ajar, he saw himself in.

"nice of you to knock," she commented dryly, glancing up from marking a roll of parchment. _What's he doing here?_ She thought, desperately. _He's the last person I want to see right now!_

"I urmmm, needed to talk to you," he explained.

"Talk away," she teased, leaning back in her chair. "I'm all ears," He swallowed hard as she stood and began to file the parchments in a cabinet.

"You're not going to make this easy for me are you?" he sighed.

"Well maybe if you explain what you need to talk to me about, I can make it slightly easier for you!"

"Explain what I need to talk to you about? Don't you know?"

"No," she said, simply.

"This!" he exclaimed as he grabbed her round the waist and pushed her against the wall, kissing her madly. After a long moment, they pulled apart slowly.

"Oh, that," she said softly. "Yeah, I needed to talk to you about that too."

"You wanna go first?" he asked.

"I guess. Look Serverus, I don't like you okay! I never have done! But I haven't been able to get you out of my head all week!"

"Believe me, it's the same here," he mused. "The question is, where do we go from here?"

"Well it's fairly obvious that us not being together isn't going to work. But then, the idea of us being together isn't too appealing either. I think that to be in a relation ship with someone, it helps if you like them,"

"How about a trial period?" he suggested.

"Trial period?"

"Yeah, of about a month. We can be together but keep it quiet and at the end of the month, we can either carry on seeing each other, or if it's obvious it isn't going to work, we can just finish it. It's perfect!"

"You know, I think you may be onto something there!" she enthused. A silence fell.

"We can start tomorrow right?" he asked.

"Oh yeah, we should definitely wait until tomorrow!"

Again, please lemme know what you think!


	3. Default Chapter Title

Part Three

It was early evening, midweek, and Professors Snape and McGonagall were enjoying a hurried make-out session in the teacher's lounge. Hearing footsteps in the corridor, Minerva jumped up and bounded to the opposite end of the room. The footsteps passed by the door, and they both visibly relaxed. 

"Okay, that was the third time that happened this evening! It's been three days and I'm sick of this already! What does that tell you?" she fumed.

"That we should stop making out in the teachers lounge?" he teased.

"No!"

"What then?" She paused for a moment.

"Okay, I don't know what that should tell you, but I can't carry on like this for much longer!"

"Well what do you propose that we do then?" he asked, worried.

"I don't know!" she cried as she stormed back over to the other side of the room and sat down in his lap, resting her head on his shoulder. Playing with the strands of hair that had fallen out of her tight bun onto the back of her neck, Snape thought a little.

"Think about it his way," he began. "Even if anyone did see anything, do you really think they'd believe it? I mean, I'm fairly sure Potter only accepted it because we pretty much admitted it to him. We're not exactly the most believable couple in the world, are we?"

"That's a good point," she mused. "Infact, when I woke up this morning, I had a little trouble believing it myself. I think I have a liking problem with you. In that, I don't. Much. Sorry," she added hastily.

"Hey, don't flatter yourself, I'm not all to thrilled with this situation either you know!"

"Really?" she teased. "I thought that maybe you were beginning to warm to me a little," He snorted with laughter.

"Yeah, right!" seeing the annoyed look on her face, he sighed. "Oh come on, I'm not the only one in this for one thing and one thing only you know!"

"Uh-huh, well carry on like that and you won't even get a month," she joked. "But in all seriousness, what are we going to do? I'm not willing to take the chance that anyone who may stumble in on us wouldn't believe it."

"Well, I don't think there's a whole lot we can do," he said, thoughtfully. "Unless…."

"What?" she demanded.

"We make ourselves even less believable as a couple," he suggested. "You know, fight a lot in public, etcetera. Well," he paused. "Fight more than usual anyway,"

"You mean throw everyone off the track completely?" she questioned.

"Yeah, why not? I can't think of anything else we can do anyway," she started to reply, but paused as she heard another set of footsteps coming towards the staff room.

"You wanna try it now?" she asked, climbing out of his lap.

"Why not?" he laughed. She stood, hands on her hips and feet wide apart and made as if to yell, but stopped.

"What are we fighting about?" she hissed. At that moment, Professor Lupin entered the room.

"Come on Minerva, I'll trade you Slytherin's Thursday **and** Friday evening timeslots on the Quidditch pitch, for Gryfindor's Saturday evening! How can you refuse that?" Snape stormed. Catching on, McGonagall retaliated:

"If the Saturday evening timeslot was so bloody important to you, you should have got in first and reserved it yourself shouldn't you?!"

"Oh be reasonable! I'm offering you an entire evenings extra practice time! Can you really refuse the team that?"

"Yes, quite easily, because the Friday evening is of no use to me what-so-ever, as Fred and George Weasley more often than not find themselves spending that time in detention!"

"I'll make it the Wednesday then!"

"Still no good, Katie has a clarinet lesson!" By this time, Professor Lupin was starting to back out of the room nervously and it was roughly five seconds before he'd disappeared down the corridor completely. McGonagall chuckled deviously.

"You know, I think we might just be able to pull this off!"

And for the rest of the week, they carried on staging fights of much the same manner. But when, the following Thursday, they were pulled aside by Dumbledore himself, they began to worry. As he led them into an empty classroom, each were privately thinking he must have seen through their act and worked out what they were really up to. Afterall, Albus Dumbeldore wasn't easily fooled. Which was why what he had to say came as such a shock.

"Now I've noticed a serious decline in the professional relationship between the two of you over the past week," he began, perching on the edge of a table. Minerva and Serverus stood as far apart from each other as was physically possible. "And quite frankly, I'm worried. I know things were never that brilliant, but the way things are rapidly becoming is awful! And all over Quidditch practice times!" he sighed and took a deep breath. "If things continue the way they are, I am seriously considering disqualifying both Slytherin and Gryfindor from this year's Quidditch cup." An ominous silence fell, then:

"No!" they both protested at once.

"Of course, it would be a great shame if it had to come to that, but if I'm forced I will." He took another deep breath. "Now, I own a small holiday cottage in the muggle sea side town of Cornwall. May I suggest you both stay there over the weekend and try to reconcile your differences?" he threw a set of keys to McGonagall. "I shall re-asses the situation on Monday. That will be all." And with that, he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Outside the door, where she had been eavesdropping with Harry, Hermione was looking suitably worried.

"Harry! Did you hear that? This is awful!" she moaned.

"Uh-huh," Harry muttered. "Something tells me their going to do a fair site more than reconcile this weekend."

"You mean their-?" Harry realised just what he had let drop.

Well there you have it. Hermione knows. I forget why that's meant to be exciting, cus I wrote the fic at like, one in the morning. Never mind!


	4. Default Chapter Title

Part Four

"This place is gorgeous!" Minerva cried, throwing down her bag and falling backwards onto the sofa. Serverus and herself had just arrived at the sea side cottage leant to them for the weekend whilst they supposedly patched up their professional relationship. She felt a little bad about taking advantage of Dumbledore's offer, but smirked at the thought that they had successfully managed to pull the wool over everyone's eyes, in making them think that their professional relationship was in ruins. Not that there wasn't room for improvement, far from it, but they'd definitely been getting on a lot better as of late then they ever had done before.

"You look like the cat that's got the cream," Serverus observed wryly, setting his bag down in the doorway.

"No I don't," she giggled. "But I could do!" She pulled out her wand from the front of her robes, pointed it at herself and muttered a few words under her breath. With a bang, she transformed into a small tabby cat and padded through into the kitchen. Stood in the living room, Serverus counted under his breath.

"Five, four, three, two, one-" a loud miow came from the kitchen. "You want me to open the fridge for you?"

Back at Hogwarts, harry was beginning to dearly wish he knew how to keep his mouth shut. Hermione had been pestering him none-stop for the past two days to tell her what he knew about McGonagall and Snape. He had told her that he had meant nothing by the frivolous comment he had made when they had overheard Dumbledore advise the two of them to spend the weekend at his holiday home in Cornwall to improve their professional relationship, but she wouldn't believe him. He had merely commented that 'something told him they were going to do a fair site more than reconcile this weekend' and of course, Hermione had jumped to the right conclusion.

"Come on Harry, tell me what you know!" she cried, jumping out infront of him and startling him.

"There's nothing **to **know!" harry exclaimed. "I've told you, all I meant was, they've always hated each other and that's not about to change, so I reckon their gonna milk this weekend for all it's worth!"

"I don't believe you Harry potter, and sooner or later, I'm gonna find out the truth!" she warned good-naturedly as she hurried off down the corridor.

Meanwhile, in Cornwall at the exact same time, Minerva McGonagall (who had stopped being a cat for long enough to explore the cottage) had just made a startling discovery. Stood in the doorframe of the living room, she announced:

"There's only one bedroom." Serverus merely glanced up from reading a muggle newspaper, and blinked.

"So?" She put her hands on her hips, pursed her lips, tilted her head to one side, and gave him a very disdainful look.

"So I hope you'll find the couch very comfortable."

"What? You can't make me sleep on the couch!" he exclaimed.

"I think you'll find I can you know," she giggled at his annoyed look.

"Min, you know how this is meant to be a sex based relationship?" he asked

"Yeees………" she answered cautiously.

"Oh come on," she rolled her eyes, settling herself down in his lap. "Just……….humour me for a while, okay? Not yet. But I promise you, it'll definitely be worth the wait." She grinned coyly, and before he had time to argue, she pulled him down on top of herself.

Hermione was starting to get annoyed.

"Oh Harry, please just tell me!" she cried, for what felt like the hundredth time that day.

"I've already told you, there's nothing to tell, maybe you should try listening," Harry growled darkly. He wasn't annoyed, he was positively murderous.

"Please harry? I'm not exactly going to say anything am I? I mean, McGonagall and Snape-eugh!" she shuddered. She then sighed. "Don't you trust me Harry? That hit home. If Harry said yes, she'd force him to tell her the truth. Yet if he said no, she'd be majorly pissed. '_And if you keep quiet much longer'_, Harry thought to himself, '_she's going to take it as a no and slap you!'_

"But I promised McGonagall I wouldn't tell!" he exclaimed. And recoiled in horror as he realised what he had done.

Later that night, the storm clouds that had been holding on all day finally opened over Cornwall. Rain poured down and lightning continually lit up the sky. Tossing and turning on the couch, trying to get comfortable, Snape heard footsteps padding downstairs. Reaching for his wand, he muttered:

"Luminous!" and a beam of light swept across the room. Stood in the doorway, Minerva was wearing a flannel nightdress and looked distinctly embarrassed.

"Can I sleep down here?" she asked, in a pitiful voice. "I'm sort of……..afraid of lightning." She said the last sentence really quickly, under her breath. Serverus rolled his eyes and laughed (or made a noise that resembled a laugh.)

"Climb in," he beckoned, pulling back the covers. "My baby sister used to be afraid of lightning." Minerva paused.

"You have a baby sister?"

It was well passed lights out at Hogwarts, but Harry and Hermione were sat talking in whispers in the Gryfindor common room. Harry knew there was no use denying the truth any more, and since everyone else was in bed, he felt brave enough to whisper:

"You were right Herm-about McGonagall and Snape. They're together."

"Ewww!" she cried as he shushed her. "I mean, I knew it, but hearing you say it, ewww!"

"Listen, you can't tell anyone!" Harry insisted. Hermione took a deep breath.

"I wont," she promised sincerely. "I wont."


	5. Default Chapter Title

Part Five

Sunday morning was warm and clear, without a trace of the storm that had ravaged the night before. The sun was rising over Cornwall and McGonagall and Snape were beginning to stir.

"What time is it?" she yawned sleepily.

"Try looking at your watch," he muttered, rubbing his neck. "I'm sorry, but I** cannot **sleep down here again tonight!"

"Yes you can, I can turn it into a bed for you." He started at her dumbstruck.

"Would it not have made sense to do that last night?"

"It was late and there was lightning! I didn't think!"

"Obviously," he teased and she hit him with a pillow.

"Do you have any muggle money?" she asked.

"Why? I never had you down as the gold digging sort." She tutted.

"It's just, I don't have any, and as well as forgetting to mention there was only one bed, Dumbledore conveniently forgot there was only enough food here for one meal, all of which we ate last night." He yawned.

"I have a muggle cash card for a bank account in which I have £10.00. That's just about enough for me, so what're you going to do?" she hit him with a pillow again, closely followed by five others.

Hermione and Harry were hiding in an empty classroom, talking in hushed voices. Ron had gone into Hogsmede with the twins, but Hermione had feigned a headache and asked Harry to stay with her, giving them much needed time to talk. Harry had filled her in on everything he knew, up to the time where Snape had asked him to take the potion to make sure he didn't let anything slip. He had briefly considered that maybe he should have taken the potion, but dismissed the thought with the realisation that Snape was probably just looking for an excuse to poison him. Hermione looked disgusted.

"I…I can't believe it," she muttered softly. "Why would she-why would anyone…" she didn't have to finish her sentence, Harry felt the same way.

"Don't take it so hard Herm," Harry sympathised. "I mean, we all know you're madly in love with McGonagall and all, but-"

"I am not!" she shrieked, hitting him playfully.

"Oh don't deny it, we've all seen the way you look at her!" he teased as she chased him around the classroom. 

"I'm about as much in love with her as I am with you!" she was laughing hard, and, diving and grabbing Harry round the waist, she knocked him to the floor and pinned him down.

"Yep, and we all know that after McGonagall I'm your next biggest obsession!" Now both were in hysterics and Hermione had tears streaming down her face at their compromising position. Neither of them had noticed Draco Malfoy slip into the classroom, regarding them both with disdain as Harry tried to kiss Hermione teasingly. But they both heard when he spoke.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Potty and the Mudblood getting off on the floor of an empty classroom. What **will** people think?" 

"Malfoy, you know we were messing around!" Harry snarled as he stood.

"Do I?" the look on his face was pure evil. "Even if I did know that, no-one else is going to. Not the way I'm gonna tell them, anyway."

"You wouldn't!" Hermione cried.

"I will," he smirked. "Just watch me."

"Fine, you go ahead. See if anyone will believe you, which I sincerely doubt!" harry stormed.

"You're delusional Potter, you know everyone's going to believe me, you might as well just accept it. Or it'll just be worse when you realised that the entire student body is laughing at you!" And with that, he turned on his heel and stormed out, leaving both Harry and Hermione feeling distinctly sick.

"Ugh-I think I ate too much, I can't move!" Minerva laughed contentedly; and, leaning back to rest against the bottom of the sofa, she closed her eyes and let her head rest on Serverus's knee.

"Tell me about it, I don't think I can put my plate down, let alone stand up!" he moaned comfortably as he unwillingly placed his plate on the floor. 

"You know, it's been seventeen years since I last ate a chip shop meal in the muggle world, and they're still exactly the same. Full of fat and extremely addictive." She observed shrewdly.

"Well they've got to be haven't they? What with the bloody extortionist prices they charge for them."

"Don't moan," she murmured. "It does out me off you so."

"Well the whole fear of lightning thing kinda puts me off you, but you don't hear me complaining do you?"

"Okay, what the hell is wrong with having a fear of lightning? It's not even that rare a phobia, I mean, you said so yourself that your little sister was scared of the same thing!"

"Yes, but I have hordes of sisters, so it could be a rare phobia for all you know," he teased, winding her up.

"Hordes of sister? I never even pictured you with parents to be quite honest. How many do you have?"

"Seven," her eyes widened a little. "And five brothers. My mother had a thing about proving she wasn't superstitious. She head thirteen children and a house full of broken mirrors."

"Didn't it get annoying, having to share with so many other kids?" he started to reply, but paused.

"You were an only child weren't you?" she nodded. "It's fairly obvious you were. I used to love having a big family, there was never a dull moment!" she laughed.

"Okay, carry on talking like that and I may end up thinking that, underneath the Grim Reaper like exterior, you're just a family man a heart."

"Maybe I am," he said, with an unfamiliar twinkle in his eye. "Maybe I really love all children and the only reason I'm so strict with them is so as to hide my inside vulnerability." She snorted with laughter.

"Yeah, and You Know Who is about to start handing out sweets to children in prams!"


	6. Default Chapter Title

A/n: As I've read back a lot of the fics from my series, I've realised that I don't actually like many of them. I've forgotten why I even wrote this one. But I'm hoping that they'll start to pick up soon, because, whilst I don't like the fics, I like what they're about. I love all fics that are about McGonagall and Snape getting together, but sadly, there aren't that manyL . Which is why I'm still writing! Now onto the fic:

Part Six

As she swept into the Great Hall, Professor McGonagall surveyed the chattering students eating their breakfasts with a cheerful smile on her face. It was 7:00 a.m. Monday morning and the Hogwarts students were gearing up to start the day. 

As she took her place at the teacher's table at the top end of the hall, she noticed that her cheerful mood wasn't matched by the head of Slytherin house and her current 'lover' (she wasn't entirely sure if such a word was applicable or apropriate) Serverus Snape.

"What's up?" she asked, reaching for a plate.

"Nothing," he growled.

"Uh-huh, it sure looks like it," she teased.

"There's nothing wrong that I can't see to, and I don't need you interfering right now!" he snapped. She pulled back from him, offended.

"Sorry I spoke!" she glared, her previous good mood already forgotten. He sighed.

"Look, I'm in a bad mood right now okay? Incase you haven't noticed, I have a tendency of taking my moods out on people, so I'd stay away from me if I were you!" he attempted to apologise.

"What happened? You were fine yesterday evening when we got back, so it must be something drastic."

"Nothing awful," he sighed. "It's Potter again; almost as soon as I got into my room, I'm hearing reports from Malfoy that while we were away he walked in on Potter and Granger indulging in a make-out session on the floor of an empty classroom. Damn little so and so, thinks he's above the rules, just like his father-"

"James never hurt anyone!" she interrupted sharply. "And I seriously doubt there's any truth in that rumour what-so-ever. Besides, shouldn't you be happy? I'm guessing fifty points from Gryffindor and a weeks worth of detentions for Harry and Hermione, which equals human misery all round and I thought you thrived on that?"

"You really don't have a high opinion of me do you?" he marvelled. "I resent being told I thrive on human misery, I'm not a total monster you know!"

"Really?" she snapped, still angry at his previous comments about interfering.

"Yes really!" he snapped back. "What do you want me to do, let them off scot free so that they think that kind of behaviour is acceptable?"

"No of course not!" she fumed. "Just don't be too harsh on them unless you know whether Malfoy's accusation is true or not!" Unaware to either of them, at some point in the conversation Dumbledore had slipped into the seat on Minerva's other side and heard nearly every word of their conversation.

"Oh dear. It seems that this weekend was of no use what so ever," he said, sadly. "The pupils will be disappointed so when I tell them that Quidditch is cancelled this year." He looked forlorn as he sat, stroking his beard slowly.

"What?" Minerva cried. "But we weren't fighting! That was just a……..urmmmmmmm, difference of opinion!"

"Yeah!" he took over. "This weekend did help-really. We managed to urmmm, resolve some of our differences and learn to co-operate?" he laughed silently. The closest they had come to co-operation was deciding where to eat, and that had caused a fair few problems! He realised he was letting his mind slip and snapped back to reality quickly. Dumbledore looked bemused.

"Your 'difference of opinion' looked a lot like a fight to me. How do I know you're not just having me on?" 

"Well, you just heard us arguing about a correct punishment for Potter and Granger right?" Snape began. Dumbledore nodded. "So will it demonstrate to you our new found skills of co-operation if we find a middle ground for their punishment?" Dumbledore paused for a long moment. Then he smiled broadly. 

"I think that would do nicely! Go ahead. Co-operate." They looked at each other blankly.

"Well, urmm, you were wanting to take 50 points from Gryffindor and give them both a weeks detentions right?" she checked. He nodded.

"Yes, your assumption was correct."

"Well, how about you take the points and lay off the detentions?"

"I don't think the loss of points is enough of a deterrent on its own. Why don't I give them the detentions and lay off the points?" 

"I think maybe the detentions are a bit harsh for something we don't even know is true." She paused. A look came over her face that suggested she had an idea. "Why don't you give them a detention each and let me deal with them myself from there on? They are in my house after all. And don't worry," she assured, seeing the look on his face. "They will be punished, but only as I see fit." He looked as if he wanted to argue, but took a deep breath and nodded his agreement.

"Splendid!" cried Dumbledore. "Absolutely fantastic!" he stood, and banged a spoon against his glass. The hall fell silent and all eyes turned towards him. "I would like to take this opportunity to formerly announce the start of Quidditch season!" he boomed. He received a few puzzled looks, but the chatter quickly flared up again. As he sat, Minerva was sure she heard George Weasley say 'Do you think someone should tell him we started practising two weeks ago?'

Thursday was Professor McGonagall's first opportunity to speak to Harry and Hermione. Having apprehended them after class, she peered at them through her spectacles.

"I wish to speak to you both about a very serious matter. I don't have time now. Be in my office eight Sunday evening, sharpish,"

"Is it about the same thing Snape's given us detention for?" Hermione questioned morosely.

"**Professor** Snape to you. And yes it is. If the allegations are true, then quite frankly I'm appauled." And with that, she stormed out, leaving them both glaring at her back.


	7. Default Chapter Title

Part Seven

By the time Sunday came around, Harry and Hermione were more than a little bit mad. They had both served a gruelling five hour detention for Snape" 'which involved cleaning the floor of his dungeon classroom with a rag and a bucket of water . Hermione was especially angry and wasted no opportunity to show just how ticked off she was.

She had stopped being her usual perfect self (though only in Transfiguration classes) and had spent most of these lesson glaring angrily at the back of McGonagall's head.

What didn't help was the fact they were being laughed at by a quater of the school. Malfoy had been able to convince all Slytherins of what he had 'seen' but the rest of the school remained sceptical. (Mainly because Fred and George kept holding very loud conversations outside the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw common rooms about how they would hex anyone who dared believe 'that little rat Malfoy' but that was besides the point.)

As they walked down the corridor that led to McGonagall's office, Hermione tensed up.

"If we get another detention I sware I'll.....I'll.....well I don't know yet, but it'll be bad!"

"Herm, calm down, why are you taking this so hard?" Harry questioned.

"Because it's damn hypocritical!" she raged. "Snape gave us a detention because we were supposedly getting off in that classroom, when God knows what he and McGonagall have been getting up to!"

"Well just calm down okay! Harry hissed as they neared the door of her office. "If she hears you saying things like that then she'll know I told you!" Hermione sighed, clenched her fist and rapped at the door.

"Come in," a voice from inside beckoned. Hermione entered and Harry followed. McGonagall was sat behind her desk looking strict. She motioned for them to sit. She chewed on her lip, looking as if she was trying to think of something to say. Eventually, she just sighed and shrugged. "If anyone asks, I made you file the homework parchments I received from my fifth year classes every year for the past nine years. That is all." And she gestured towards the door, as if to shoo them both away. Hermione voiced both their puzzlement.

"But-aren't you going to punish us Professor?"

"Punish you for what? I don't believe for one moment that Malfoy's allegations are true and I only made you come here because I told Professor Snape I would punish you as I saw fit, so as to get you both out of a weeks detentions."

"Oh." Was all Hermione could say. McGonagall sighed.

"I'm not a total hypocrite you know." Hermione frowned. Was it possible-could she know? "Yes, I know you know." McGonagall confirmed, as if reading Hermione's mind.

"Wh-how?" Harry stuttered.

"Maybe I'm psychic." She teased. "Or maybe I just overheard you having a conversation in the library about how 'sick' it is that Professor Snape and myself are together." She peered at Harry, bemused. "Have you told anyone else?"

"No!" he exclaimed. "I didn't even mean to tell Hermione! I let one comment slip by accident and she worked it out!" McGonagall didn't seem at all surprised.

"I thought you would, sooner or later," she smiled at Hermione. "Don't worry, I'm not cross. It was rather a big secret to ask you to keep Harry. Although I would prefer it if you would refrain from making derogatory comments about our relationship in future," she added sternly. "Harry, you may go, but Hermione, a word if you please?" Harry stood up and whispered to Hermione, who reamained seated, that he'd meet her in the Gryfinndor common room later on. Hermione looked at McGonagall expectantly. Minerva smiled at her kindly.

"I wondered how long it would take you."

"Well it wasn't exactly hard, with Harry being the one 'keeping the secret'!"

"I just want to know if you're okay with this?"

"Ummm, okay with what?" Hermione asked, confused.

"This whole situation, me and Severus being together, you not telling anyone, etcetera." Hermione frowned.

"But it doesn't really makeany difference does it? I mean, you're not exactly going to break up just because I think this is disgusting are you?" Minerva rolled her eyes.

"It's not that bad is it?" she paused. "Okay, so maybe it is……"

"So, uh, why were you asking?" Hermione questioned.

"I just want to make sure you're alright with keeping this to yourself. I understand if you don't want to keep it secret. Afterall, it is pretty big gossip material."

"Pretty big? Try colossal. It's not every day that two people who loathe each other and are heads of houses which loathe each other turn around and say that they're seeing each other!" she exclaimed. But seeing McGonagall's worried look, she added: "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Believe me, I know what it's like to have people stare and point at you!" Minerva laughed.

"Next time Malfoy so much as puts a foot out of line, I'll have him, believe you me." She smiled at Hermione fondly. "You remind me a lot of myself when I was younger. Which makes me feel old, but that's besides the point. You're a clever girl Hermione, don't waste your time on people like Draco Malfoy. And if there's ever anything you need help with, anything at all, then don't hesitate to ask."

"Thank you Professor." Hermione smiled as she stood to leave. "oh, and, when I said I wouldn't tell anyone, Ron wasn't included in that right? It's just, I feel really guilty about not telling him." McGonagall sighed.

"Go ahead, tell Ron, just make sure Fred and George aren't lurking around when you do!"


	8. Default Chapter Title

Part Eight

A/n: Okay, at one part this fic becomes rather soap-operay at one point (and I KNOW that's not a word!) and I may change it in the future. But I've already re-written the ending once, and if you ask anyone who's read it the way it was before, they'll tell you just how awful it was. So bear that in mind while you're reading it, and remember, it COULD be worse! (Actually, I'm beginning to rather like this series, and I think the next part is really quite good for me, as I normally can't stand anything I've written! I'll try and get that up in a few days)

By the time Saturday morning rolled around, Minerva McGonagall's head was aching from all the thinking she had been doing. Tomorrow would bring the one month possible cut off point of her 'relationship' with Severus Snape and they had agreed to talk about their future, if they even had one, that evening.

Minerva had spent most of the week trying to work out what she wanted to do. Which was hard because she didn't have a clue. She had become very preoccupied all of a sudden, and, so as not to raise suspicion, she claimed to be worried about the fact that, come that afternoon, Gryfinndor would be playing in the first Quidditch match of the year, against Slytherin, with out a team captain. Which quite frankly did worry her, but not as much as what the future held for her and Severus.

Whereas with the Quidditch team, she could merely turn around and choose a captain for them if they didn't get their acts together, she doubted somehow that the same method would work if applied to their relationship.

'This would be a lot easier she thought if I know how Severus felt. She wondered if he felt as confused as she did. 'Or maybe,' she mused, he knows how he feels. This one month thing was his idea to start with, maybe he never intended to carry on past that point. When she thought about it, that actually made alot of sense. During the weekend they'd spent together in Cornwall, he hadn't seemed to have a whole lot on his mind aside from the one thing she wouldn't agree to. And why would he want to risk carrying on past a month? Sooner or later, people were bound to find out, and he wouldn't want to risk loosing his reputation as a cold hearted monster would he? Afterall, he took great pride in the fact he was able to terrify all his pupils. But then what if he did want to-? She shook her head in frustration. She'd been going over and over the same points all weeks and she knew she wouldn't be able to come to a decision until she knew how he felt.

But still, she felt that she ought to have a rough idea of what she wanted to do. But she really didn't mind any which way! If he wanted to call it a day, then that was okay. Afterall, they didn't even like each other that much, and there was only so far you could go with a relationship based on pure attraction. But then if he wanted to carry on, she was quite willing. Afterall, she was undeniably attracted to him (though she still wasn't sure why) and it would be interesting to see just where they could go. There was an equal amount of pros and cons!"

'Suddenly, an idea struck her. What if she left it up to fate? Well, not so much fate as his reaction to the result of the forthcoming Quidditch match, but it was pretty much the same thing. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. Whatever the outcome of the match, if he was courteous, she would carry on seeing him. However if he sulked, she'd finish with him. It was the perfect solution, though mainly because it didn't mean she had to come up with a 'proper' solution.

Her mind was set. Now all she had to do was wait for the outcome of the Quidditch match.

The afternoon brought a sea of red and green banners. The pitch stands were so full, they looked as if they were about to split at the seams. It was unusually hot for October, and as she took a seat in the commentary box next to Lee Jordan, McGonagall fanned herself with a paper fan she had made shoot out the end of her wand. Lee was bouncing up and down in his seat, and as she sat, her turned and gave her a grin as wide as a cheshire cats.

"We've got a captain Professor! This morning, the team were arguing again, when I suggested they put all their names in a hat and pull one out!" She raised her eyebrows. 

"That was very, uh, democratic of you Lee. So who's name came out?"

"Alicia's. And it wasn't just by chance Professor. We put the names in the Sorting Hat. Professor Dumbledore let us. If we'd have used a normal hat, anyone's name could have came out," (I know this wouldn't work, but let's just pretend, okay?) he said cheekily, as if talking to someone exceptionally slow. She made towards him with her paper fan, but he ducked out of the way. There came several loud shouts from outside, and, turning to the front of the box quickly, McGonagall saw the players mounting their brooms down on the ground. Flicking on his mike, Lee spoke smoothly to the crowd.

"Good afternoon folks, and what a scorcher it's becoming. let's hope the game is just as good!" As the teams rose into the air, the crowd gave a round of applause and Lee continued. "As if today's weather wasn't enough, we have a new player as well! Let's all give a warm welcome to the new Gryfinndor keeper Craig Matthews!"(Just don't ask, I needed a replacement for Wood, so I made a name up!) The Gryfinndor's cheered for their new 5th year star, the Slytherin's hissed. "Well now, it's Gryfinndor in possesion and Spinnet's already off like a shot, tearing down towards the Gryfinndor goalposts!" Lee cried as play started on Madame Hooche's whistle. "A nice pass to Bell, over to Johnson, back to Spinnet, and she's going for goal, she shoots, and-ohhhh, intercepted by the Slytherin keeper at the last minute." letting her eyes flicker over to the Slytherin stands, Minerva couldn't help but notice the look of delight on Severus's face as Gryfinndor failed to score.

"And now it's Slytherin in possesion, they're working their way down the pitch, surely they're not going to-? Yes! And the Quaffle is taken by Spinnet and is back in Gryfinndor's possesion! There's just no stopping that girl today! She passes to Bell, back to Spinnet, over to Johnson, ohhh, nearly knocked off her broom by a low flying Bludger, she steadies, she shoots, and-YESSSS! She scores! Gryfinndor ten, Slytherin zero!" A chorus of angry cries came from the Slytherin stands, one of which, Minerva observed, came from Severus's lips.

"And as play resumes, it's Gryfinndor" 'once more in possesion. Bell has the Quaffle and- wait, what's that up there? Could it be the Snitch? Everyone turned their eyes skywards, and saw just watch Lee had done-a flash of gold, streaking through the sky. Evidently, both Harry and Draco had seen it too, because both at once went careening after it at break neck speed. As they went into a dive, both were neck and neck, but Harry's broom wasn't known as one of the fastest types in the world for no reason. He pulled ahead of Malfoy, reached out a hand to grab the tiny gold ball, faster, closer, closer and faster, when all of a sudden, the Snitch changed direction, and hurtled up towards the clouds. Noticing just in time to stop himself diving straight into the ground, Harry followed suit and flew upwards, but unfortunatly, Draco wasn't quite as quick, and, with a sickening splat, his body hit the ground, just as Harry grabbed the Snitch. 

The Gryfinndors in the stands went mad, tears of mirth rolling down all of their faces as Malfoy picked himself up off the ground. There were several cries of: "Unfair!" from the Slytherins, but Minerva was too busy attempting to control Lee, who was presently dancing around the commentary box, to care.

When she had finally convinced Lee that jeering at the Slytherin's through the mike wasn't a good idea, she cast her eyes once more to the seat Severus had occupied, only to find that he, well, wasn't in it any more. Sighing, she realised he must have skulked off, so as to avoid a confrontation. And if that didn't count as sulking, she didn't know what did.

So that was that. It was over. At least in her mind anyway. She supposed that whatever Severus had to say that evening may be of some relevance, but, well, she'd left it up to fate, and fate had decided that they weren't meant to be together. She almost laughed out loud at the ridiculousness of that thought. God, next thing she knew, she'd be asking Sybill Trelawny if her tea leaves thought they should be together or not! But still, at least this meant she wouldn't be completely opinionless at their meeting that evening. Standing up and stretching her legs, she decided to go and curl up in her bedroom for a few hours with a good book.

Pushing open her bedroom door, Minerva screamed and recoiled in fright, as she realised there was someone else in her room. Then she realised it was Severus.

"Oh God, what the hell are you playing at? You scared me half to death!" she exclaimed. Standing up (for he had been sat on the end of her bed) Severus merely beckoned her over to him with a nod of his head. Walking over obligingly, she found herself being pulled into a tight hug, as he kissed her neck gently.

"I realised that this evening wasn't exactly going to be fun, so I thought we'd eat out first." Before she had time to question what he meant, he had taken her hand in his and placed it on her desk lamp. A little unnerved, she was about to ask what he was playing at, when she felt a sharp tug below her navel and found herself being pulled backwards and spun around.

When the spinning stopped, she opened one eye gingerly. Realising that she and Severus had just been taken god knew where by a port key, she opened the other. 

"That's funny," she mused, the earth still spinning before her eyes as she took a couple of dizzy steps. "I don't remember my desk lamp being a port key.........." He laughed, and pulled her towards him gently.

"I guess I should have told you what I was doing. It's never nice to be pulled through a port key when you're not expecting it. Sorry," he whispered softly into her ear. As she steadied herself, Minerva wondered for the first time, just where she was. Looking around, all she could see was grass. They appeared to be stood on a hill in the middle fo no-where. Looking at him questioningly, he took her hand once more and led her a few steps backwards. Turning around, she looked down. Hundreds of feet below them, she could make out tiny little pavements and boats. 'Boats?' she wondered. Looking closer, she realised that, where the roads should have been between the pavements, there was water. 

"Venice," he murmered, kissing her softly on the cheek.

"Oh bloody hell, you don't do things by halves do you?" she laughed, not quite sure what to make of the situation. (Don't ask! This is the bit I said was kindof soap-operay)

"Come on," he instructed, as he led her towards a road that led them down into the town. He took her to a restraunt, and they ate. Afterwards, she vaguely remembered enjoying the meal, but when she allowed herself to be quite honest, she hadn't been paying that much attention to the food. 

The entire situation had thrown her into turmoil. Where-as an hour or so ago she had been certain their relationship had no future, now she was beginning to have second thoughts. If he had gone to all the trouble of setting up the port key and taking her to Venice, Venice, for God's sake! Then surely, surely he wasn't about to put an end to their relationship?

The same thoughts were still running through her head two hours later, as he led her back up the hill, to the place where her desk lamp lay. When she found herself back in her room, she wasn't feeling quite as dizzy as last time, this time she had been prepared for what was coming at least.

As they both sat down on the end of her bed, he ran his index finger over the back of her hand and sighed.

"I guess we have to talk about the serious stuff now, right?" She nodded.

"I guess so." A silence fell. He coughed nervously.

"So, uh, what do you want to do?" he asked.

"I don't mind, what about you?" she replied, quickly. He looked amused.

"So, neither of us mind one way or the other whether we keep seeing each other or not?"

"I guess not." She laughed. "Kind of stupid isn't it? We must sound like kids!"

"Just a bit. So you really have no preference?"

"Nope."

"So if I were to say 'I'd like to keep on seeing you', that would be fine?"

"Yep."

"And if I were to say 'I still think you're a snotty bitch and personally, I never want to talk to you again', then that would be fine too?"

"Well, I may have to slap you, but yep."

"Well now this is awkward."

"Just a bit. So, what shall we do?" He was silent for several minutes, deliberating over what to say.

"I must say, I would be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued as to just where this could go" he mused. "The past month has been quite an experiance, I must say."

"Well I agree with you on that. It's been.....different."

"You're speaking in the past tense." he observed. "Are you trying to tell me something?"

"No!" she exclaimed, but was shocked to realise she had just felt a compelling urge to tell him that she was willing to carry on. And by the look on his face, she knew he felt the same. And she could tell that he wasn't about to admit it. As silence spread across the room, as she deliberated over whether to say anything or not. Then finally, she laughed: "Do you want to flip a coin?" He looked incredibly relieved. She felt it. Now she didn't have to say anything or risk making a fool of herself. 

"Okay, so, uh, heads we carry on, tails we don't?" he asked, pulling a muggle coin from the pocket of his robes. She guessed it was change from dinner.

"Okay. Flip." and he flipped. The coin landed on the floor, and they could both plainly see that it had landed on heads. As she bent to pick it up, blushing slightly, Minerva couldn't help but notice that there appeared to be a head on the other side of the coin as well; he had used a doubled headed coin. 

She blushed and giggled a little as he refused to meet her eyes. "Well, uh, thanks for dinner," she smiled.

"Oh, uh, yeah, I thought it would be, well, different." he said, embarrassed. "Anyway, I should be going."

"Oh, okay. You don't have to go you know."

"Huh? It's getting late, I should really be getting off." She smiled.

"Well, I was just thinking, dinner was so nice tonight, and with everything, well, how abouts breakfast is on me tomorrow?" A smile flickered over his face.

"I'm guessing you don't mean for me to come back at seven in the morning do you?"

"Nope," she laughed. "Though you can do if you really want!" And with that, he kissed her gently, as, lying down, they sealed the start of their relationship.

2nd A/n: Ick! I hate the ending! If anyone can come up with a better ending paragraph, please let me know!


	9. Default Chapter Title

Part Nine

Minerva McGongall let out a contented moan as Serverus Snape ran his hands down her body and kissed her face softly. It had been a mad-cap week, and now she was finaly able to relax properly.

"Mmmm, God this week dragged by."

"Tell me about it. I thought it would never end, what with Neville Longbottom" 'spilling his Invisibility potion all over the floor and half the class disappearing, and then making the other half disappear as well when he tried to counter the effects. Stupid boy, he really should be thrown out, he's unteachable!" She tutted crossly. 

"That may be so, but you really shouldn't talk about students like that, it's not right. Poor Neville, he does try, bless him." Serverus snorted with laughter.

"That;s not what you said when he accidently brought his chair to life and you had to spend the day chasing it around the school!" she pursed her lips at the memory.

"Yes, well......I don't suppose he can help it, he was just born that way."

"Oh, so he was born as thick as two short planks? Because you know, I was inder the impression he'd just been dropped on his head one too many times as a child. But if he was born like that, then I suppose it really isn't his fault." she slapped his arm".

'"You're terrible, honestly you are!" He smirked and pulled her closer to him.

"Only just realised that? Kind of slow on the uptake aren't you?" she laughed" 'as he nibbled her earlobe.

"Let's not talk about Neville Longbottom. I was starting to relax before you strated taking about him."

"Okay, it's not exactly my idea of a perfect evening either, discussing hopeless cases." She tutted again, and frowned.

"Now that's enough." she told him crossly. "From now on, we do NOT mention pupils. We are going to spend the evening together, unwinding after a long week, NOT talking about Neville Longbottom! Is that clear?"

"Yes ma'am," he muttered." ' She glared at him, and was about to say something, when he moved his hands to the back of her head and gently pulled her hair out of the tight bun she had so carefully pulled it back into. She rested her head on his sholder as he ran his fingers through her hair, and felt her eyes start to close. For the first time that week, she was starting to relax, and was definatly enjoying it. She had almost allowed herself to fall into a sleepy stupor, when someone knocked at the door.

Jumping back from Serverus in fright, she realised just how the situation would appear to whoever was stood outside the door, and was in the process of shooing him towards the bathroom, when the door opened and Hermione Granger's face peeked through.

"Sorry Professor," she mumbled, her cheeks going scarlet as she realised what she had walked in on. "But, uh, it's Lavender you see. She's sick. Really sick. She's really hot, but she says she's freezing, she can't keep anything down, and she's having hallucinations."

"Well take her to Madame Pomfrey then," she snaped without meaning to, impatiently. "She is the school nurse, is she not?"

"Well, we did, but she said it was probably just the flu, everyone's got it at the moment, and she was really busy, so she just gave her a potion to take. But she just brought it straight back up! I really don't think it's the flu Professor, I've never seen anyone so sick before." Minerva sighed impatiently.

"She probably just has a very bad case of it. Honestly Hermione, if Madame Pomfrey says it's the flu, then it's the flu-"

"But Madame Pomfrey didn't see her like she is now! She's getting worse, tossing and turning, and screaming about green alsation dogs! She's driven Parvati to tears, and Seamus is refusing to leave her bedside!" Serverus spoke for the first time.

"Well what the hell is Finnigan doing in the girl's dorms? Tell him he is to leave immidiatly and leave Miss Brown to get on with it. If she isn't over the worst by the morning then take her back to Madame Pomfrey. Well, why are you still here? Scoot!"" 'and Hermione, trembling in fright, fled the room.

"Well, that certainly got rid of her.....don't you think you were a little harsh?"

"Not at all, you wanted to say the exact same thing, i could tell. Silly girl, I really have no patience with her."

"Well that may be so, but it's never a good idea to shout at a person you need to keep a secret for you. Adn anyway, she's not silly really, she's very-" he put a finger to her lips and silenced her.

"I thought we weren't going to talk about pupils this evening?" 

Five minutes later, Minerva was feeling almost relaxed as she was before Hermione had burst into the room, when there came another knock at the door, and Hermione's head once more poked around the door frame. 

"Please Professor, she's even worse! She's thrashing around like anything, screaming at things no one else can see! She's delusional and I really REALLY don't think it's the flu!" Minerva pursed her lips, exasperated.

"I have already told you, she probably just has a particuarly bad case of it. She'll be fine by the morning, you'll just have to let her ride it out. Now if you would please return to your dormitory......" Hermione turned sullenly, and left the room once more." 'Serverus sighed.

"Now maybe we can get some peace and quiet-" No sooner had the words left his lips, when the door banged open once more. Hermione was back, this time accompanied by Harry. 

"What-do-you-want?" Minerva growled.

"Professor, Lavender is really sick." Harry said.

"So I've heard." She muttered.

"Please, just come and have a look at her! Once you've seen her, you'll know we're not exagerating. And, and if you don't come, then, then, we'll have to go and see Professor Dumbledore and tell him why you wont come!" Hermione cried".

'"Is that a threat?" Serverus asked, but Hermione knew she had touched a nerve.

"No, it's a promise." she said cooly, unafraid of Snape for what was possibly the first time ever.

"Serverus, i think I'd better go and take a look at Lavender," Minerva sighed. She brushed her lips against his cheek, and murmed: "I guess we'd better leave off for tonight, it's obvious we're not going to get any peace." He nodded his agreement, and they both left the room and went their separate ways, Minerva accompanied by harry and hermione.

Upon reaching the girls dormitry, Minerva knew at once that Hermione had defginatly not been exaggerating. Lavender was lying in her bed, cheeks red and sweat running down her face, screaming "The dogs are coming, the dogs are coming! Aghhhhhhhhhh, help!" 'It's got me!!!!" 

Hurrying to her bedside, Minerva shouted over her sholder: "Hermione, run and get Madame Pomfrey. Tell her I sent you, and let her know it's an emergancy. And Harry, run and get Professor Dumbledore, he should be in the staff room. Hurry!" She pulled out her wand from the front of her robes, pointed it at Lavender and muttered "Calamara sutra!" and at once, she stopped thrashing around. She sat down on the edge of Lavender's bed, and prayed that Dumbledore would get there in time.

Two hours later, and you wouldn't have known that Lavender had been sick at all. She was laughing and joking with Parvati, ("Was I really having hallucinations?!") and appeared as fit as a fiddle. She seemed quite content to be told she had just been a little sick, but she was going to be fine, but, unfortunatly, Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed to want answers. As she was about to leave through the portrait hole in the common room, she was stopped by a shout of "Professor!" from Harry.

"Yes?" she asked.

"What WAS wrong with Lavender?" hermione demanded. Minerva sighed.

"She appears to have had a particuarly nasty case of 'Halo Camarsutrio.' it's a particuarly nasty disease, known most commonly for the hallucinations it can cause. But whilst sufferers are busy ranting about things only they can see, the disease, well, eats away the victims insides. It's lucky Lavender was treated when she was, the disease is known, in most cases, to be fatal." The three of them all wore the same shocked expressions.

"But how did she get it?" Ron asked.

"Well, it's a little like shingles in a way. You know how, if you've ever had chicken pox as a child, the virus satys inside your body and can flare up years later as shingles?" they nodded. "Well, it's like that. Except the virus is directly linked to scarlet fever, not chicken pox. At some point, Miss Brown will have suffered scarlet fever, and has now experianced it's cousin in 'halo camarsutrio'. You need not worry, it's not catching, but she was very lucky. Any longer, and she probably wouldn't be with us any more." She noticed that they were all glaring at her. "Yes?"

"You weren't going to come." Hermione said stiffly. "You were too busy getting up to God knows what with Snape." she sneered as she said it. She couldn't believe she'd said it, but it felt good. "Lavender could have, no, WOULD have died if I hadn't come back with Harry. You should have come the first time I came to you." Now they were all giving her disgusted looks.

"Don't be ridiculous-"

"We're not being!" Harry flared up. "This isn't a game any more. Someone could have died."

"What are you saying?" she questioned.

"We're going to Dumbledore." Ron said coldly. "


	10. Default Chapter Title

'Part Ten

It seemed darker inside Dumbledore's office than the previous occasions on which Harry had been in there. Probably only beacuse it was rather late at night, but still, it seemed almost eery. He was glad he had Hermione and Ron for company, he didn't think he'd be able to do what he had set out to without them.

Earlier that evening, Lavender Brown had almost died from the disease 'calamara sutriano' (a/n: Is that right? I can't remember whatI called the disease!)and would almost certainly have done if he hadn't gone back up with Hermione to Professor McGonagall's room, where Hermione had already been twice to fetch help.

The reason Professor McGonagall hadn't gone straight down to Lavender the first time Hermione came for her was because she had been too busy attempting to relax, and not by herself.

She had been with Professor Snape, and no one besides the three of them knew they were together. So, roughly quater of an hour earlier, after finding out that Lavender's disease could have been fatal, they had told McGonagall that they were going to Dumbledore to tell him what they knew.

She had tried to stop them, but knew it was no use, and they had caught up with Dumbledore. They hadn't yet told him what they wanted to speak to him about, but he could tell that what ever it was was serious, and had led them to his office. He had then sat them down and was, at that very moment, humming to himself as he shuffled through his drawers. Suddenly, he pushed the drawer in with a snap, and sat up to face them.

"Now then," he began. "What is it you want to talk to me about?"

Harry started tentativly. "Well, uh, the thing is you see-"

"Yes?" Dumbledore smiled, encouragingly. Harry felt awkward. He wasn't quite sure how to word what he wanted to say. (A/n: I'm picturing myself trying to tell my headmaster that my English teacher is sleeping with my Science teacher as I write this. Believe me, it's more than a little bit awkward!)

"It's about Lavender. Sort of." Hermione cut in. Dumbledore looked a little puzzled.

"But she's fine now, is she not?"

"Well, yes," said Ron. "But we know that she might not have been. Professor McGonagall told us she could have died."

"Ah yes. It's a good job you had the sense to fetch her when you did-"

"But that's just it!" Hermione cried. "She didn't come when I first went to fetch her! Or the second time I went! And if I hadn't gone back up a third time with Harry, she wouldn't have come at all!"

"She wasn't going to come?"

"No! And I'd told her how sick Lavender was! But she was, she was uh, busy......"

"Busy? Busy in what way exactly?"

"Well," Harry said, going a little red. "That's what we needed to talk to you about." Dumbledore just looked at them quizzicly.

"The reason she wasn't going to come is, well, like I said, she was busy. But she wasn't....alone." Hermione faltered. Dumbledore raised his eyebrows.

"She wasn't alone? Then who, might I ask, was with her?" They went quiet, none of then wanting to be the one to tell him just what she had been up to, until, eventually, Ron muttered under his breath "Snape."

"She was with Severus?" Dumbledore asked. "Were they arguing again? I thought we'd gotten past all that childish behaviour," he sighed.

"No," Harry started. "They weren't arguing. They were, well, together." There, he had said it.

"Together? You mean they're-?" Hermione nodded. Dumbledore's face was expressionless for a few moments, before he burst out laughing.

"We're serious!" Hermione cried.

"I know!" he chuckled. (A/n: Sorry if this seems a little OOC, but I can imagine Dumbledore in my minds eye finding the whole situation incredibly funny!)

"But, I mean, Lavender could have died!" Ron reminded him. The look on Dumbledore's face suggested that he had temporarily forgotten that. He looked a little grave. 

"I shall have to speak with them.....Hermione, do you think you could go and fetch Professor McGonagall please? And-" he glanced at Harry and Ron as if about to ask them to go and fetch Snape, but thought better of it. "If you two would like to wait outside, I shall seek out Severus."

Standing outside McGonagall's door, Hermione felt a little nervous. She'd never had serious reason to fear her professor before, but now she was worried. She tapped on the door lightly.

"Come in," came a soft voice from inside. She pushed the door open gently. Sat at her dressing table, Minerva looked even more nervous than Hermione felt. 

"Dumbledore wants to speak to you." She informed her. As McGonagall stood, she added: "I'm sorry, but-"

"It's alright," she cut in morosley. "You did what you had to do."

"Everything will be alright wont it?" Hermione asked. Minerva looked as if she was on the verge of tears. 

"I really don't know."

"Well, uh, if it helps, Dumbledore seemed to find the whole thing incredibly funny," Hermione tried to reassure her, forgetting her previous anger. 

"And was this before or after you reminded him that Lavender could have died?" she asked, as if reading her mind.

"Before." was all she could say. They spent the rest of the walk to Dumbledore's office in silence.

Harry and Ron were sat in the corridor outside Dumbledore's office. As Hermione and Minerva aproached, Harry looked up and said: "Herm, we're supposed to wait out here. You can go straight in." He refused to look his professor in the face. She merely nodded and pushed the door open as Hermione silently sat down with her back to the wall.

As she stepped into the room quietly, Minerva saw Dumbledore sat behind his desk, and Severus stood staring out of the window. Dumbledore motioned for her to sit, and she did so.

"Now," he began. "I have just been speaking with Miss Granger and Misters Weasley and Potter. They have told me something rather alarming, which is what want to speak to you about. I trust you know what I'm talking about?"

"No, enlighten me," Severus muttered, taking a seat next to Minerva, who stared down at her hands.

"So you have no idea what so ever what I have just been told?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not a clue."

"Well, the fact of the matter is, all three seemed completely convinced that the two of you," he gestured between them, "are, ah, 'together'." Severus snorted with laughter. 

"And you believe that?"

"Are you claiming it isn't true?"

"Am I! Why would I want to-"

"Well if indeed you aren't together, then why have Miss Granger and Misters Weasley and Potter got it in to their heads that you are?"

"It's a story! I would have thought that a wizard as great as yourself would have realised that!" Dumbledore looked a little taken aback.

"Minerva, what do you have to say about these accusations?"

"Absolutly nothing." she muttered, still staring at the backs of her hands. Dumbledore seemed to realise he stood more chance of getting an honest answer out of her than Snape, and leaned forward a little.

"Are you too denying the accusations?" She said nothing.

"Of course she is!" Severus snapped. 

"Well if that's the case, and I have been lied to, then of course, I will see to it that the children are punished. It's a pity really, Miss Granger had a previously unblemished record, but when noted down that she played a part in a lie as elaborate as this then, well......let's just say it's not going to help her." Severus could tell he was bluffing, he knew he had believed that they were together, and he was just trying to get it out of them. Well he certainly wasn't getting it from him. If only Minerva would keep quiet, they might be able to buy themsleves some time. But she had noticably stiffened at the mention of Hermione.

"Really Dumbledore, it was just a childish prank, and one that you seemed to have fallen for quite noticeably I must say. But that's all it was. I see no reason for the children to be punished."

"Oh, so you are denying it then?" She fell quiet again. He sighed. "Look, I need an honest answer one way or the other-"

"And you've had one!" Severus cut in. "Why must we continue with this nonesense, when that's all it is?"

"Because three honest and hard working children don't suddenly turn up in my office and tell me that two of my members of staff, who have previously not been able to stand the site of each other, put the life of a pupil at risk to spend an evening together! Lavender Brown could have died tonight. Now are you going to tell me what really went on, or am I perhaps going to have to send for some Veritaseum?" This time neither spoke. "I thought so." He sighed and took a deep breath. "Minerva, I would have thought better of you. Would it really have been worth an innocent life for a half hour of pleasure?" Her face visibly reddened and Severus could tell that she was on the verge of tears. "The school board aren't going to like this you know, not at all." She bit her bottom lip. "And neither are the girl's parents." This time a tear slipped down her cheek. "Now we can either do this the easy way or the hard way, which would you prefer?" The tear was quickly followed by several more, and suddenly she moved her hands to her faces and broke down into them.

"Oh for Gods sake!" Severus cried, getting to his feet. "Did you have to make her cry?" He pulled her into his arms and held her gently as she cried into his sholder. One glance at Dumbledore's face told him that he might as well have just told him what he wanted to know, but he found with slight shock, that he didn't care. 

He hugged her a little tighter, and kissed the side of her face. "It's alright," he whispered as the rocked her gently. "He was just bluffing. He wanted to make you cry so that he'd get it out of you, he didn't mean any of what he said." He turned to Dumbledore with a look of disgust on his face. "You're sick, you know that?"

"No Severus," she whispered hoarsely. "He had to do it. It was the only way he was going to get the truth. I don't think he wanted to, but he needed to know." Dumbleodre nodded. He wished he hadn't had to resort to making her cry, but at least now he knew the truth. 

"Please, sit back down." Severus wiped the tears from her face gently, and they both sat. "I think it might be best for all concerned if we pretend none of the previous conversation happened and we start again. Clear the air a bit?" Severus nodded, Minerva managed a weak smile. "So, how long has this been going on for?" The amusment in his voice and the twinkle in his eye told Minerva that the conversation really had started again, there wasn't so much as a trace of the previous anger he had been conveying. She sighed, and murmered softly: 

"Just over a month." His eyebrows rose instantly. 

"And yet you let me believe that your professional relationship as beyond repair and spent a weekend in my cottage?" She had to stop herself from laughing, he really hadn't suspected a thing.

"Well what did you expect, when you sent us off to spend the weekend in a cottage with one bed?" Severus also seemed rather amused, which was definatly a rareity.

"Yes, well, sometimes I forget trivial details like that......" he laughed. Then a serious expression once more came over his face. "If the circumstances weren't as they are, I would have been tempted to *forget* this conversation and let things carry on as normal. However, no matter how much you didn't mean for it to happen, you put a life at risk. I'm afraid I'm going to have to make a formal announcement to the school, and let the school board know just what's going on between the two of you."

She gasped and grabbed his hand. He squeezed back tightly. 

A/n: Well, that's all for today because now I'm very tired. *yawns* Be nice and I might put a bit of the effort I was going to put into my Maths project into putting up the next part fairly quickly. (But don't tell my Maths teacher I said that!)


	11. Default Chapter

### Part Eleven

### A/n: I'm going to pick this fic up exactly where the last one left off, and do a quick recap of the last few lines. But they may not be exactly right, as to get them spot on I would have to go upstairs and turn on my word processor, and I really can't be bothered! 

### "If things weren't as they are, I would be very tempted to forget this conversation completely. However, under the circumstances, I'm afraid the school board will have to be notified and I shall have to make a formal announcement to the school."

### She gasped and grabbed his hand. He squeezed back tightly.

### "But, I mean, the school? Must you Albus?" she asked in shock.

### "If it is at all avoidable, then by all means, I'll avoid it. But I have a feeling that the school board will find it necessary for pupils to be informed, if only so that they know exactly what's going on."

### "Well what business is it to them?" Snape asked, somewhat bitterly.

### "None really, but I think possibly a lesson could be learnt. Tonight a life was put at risk for foolish reasons, and if other people can learn from that mistake, then, in a way, does it really matter if people stare at you in corridors a little?" Minerva nodded subduedly, although Severus looked as if it DID matter, but he didn't really want to say anything.

### "I guess we deserve it." Minerva accepted.

### "Yes, well, everyone makes mistakes," he smiled. "Now, if I draft a letter to the school board this evening, we may have a reply by tomorrow," he said, as if drawing their conversation to an end. "I'll get started. Could you please inform Misters Weasley and Potter and Miss Granger that they are to go back to their dormitories and request their silence for a while longer?" 

### "Yes, certainly," Minerva agreed, racked with nerves, but not willing to show it. She stood to follow Severus, who was already almost out of the room. At the door, she paused, and turned around. In the corridor outside, she heard Severus telling Harry, Ron and Hermione to 'clear off and keep quiet' but there was something she needed to ask. "Albus?" she started.

### "Yes," he smiled, looking up from the parchment infront of him, which he was already starting to write upon.

### "You know-you know when you leant us that cottage?" he nodded. "Did you…know?"

### "What makes you ask that?" he asked, amused.

### "Oh come on, I know you Albus. You wouldn't forget that there was only one bedroom without a reason."

### "To be honest, no, I didn't know." She looked a little confused. "If I had known, there would have been no need for the confrontation earlier would there?"

### "Well, no, I suppose not. Forget I asked, it was a silly question anyway." She turned to leave.

### "Minerva?"

### "Yes?"

### "It was a hunch." There was an unmistakable twinkle in his eye. He got up and crossed the room to her, clasping her hands in his. "I wish you both all the best, and I hope you're very happy. Perhaps in future there need not be so much fuss over Quidditch timetables?"

### "Oh I don't know about that!" she laughed, as she left the room slowly, then hurried down the corridor to catch up with Severus.

### "So." She said, catching up with him, and walking at his side.

### "So." He said, sounding a little unnerved.

### "I suppose now we just have to wait." She murmered.

### "They'd better reply quickly, I can't wait long."

### "We may have to," she reminded him. "It's all up to them now."

### "Which doesn't really say a lot." He muttered.

### "Yes, well, they'll do what they think is best," she said as if trying to reassure herself.

### "Yeah," he replied weakly. "So I suppose we just have to hope that they think it best that no one knows."

### "I don't see that happening." She said briskly. "Don't kid yourself, someone could have died, this isn't something they're going to take lightly. We're going to have to prepare ourselves for a worse-worse situation."

### "Which would be-?"

### "I don't know…..they decide that the school body needs to be informed and we end up being stared at everywhere we go for the rest of our lives?" In spite of the situation, she laughed a little. He, however, didn't seem to find it funny. "Oh for Gods sake, don't be so serious! It could very well happen, and if it does and you go about handling it like you are now, well, then, well-"

### "Do you have an end to that sentence?"

### "No!"

### "Didn't think so." They both fell quiet for a while, as they walked.

### "Thank you." She said, breaking the silence.

### "For what?" He asked.

### "Earlier. When you hugged me. I got a little carried away, it meant a lot to me."

### "Yeah, well, women crying, makes me uncomfortable," He said gruffly.

### "Well, thank you anyway." She stopped, as she realised they'd reached a corner and they both needed to go separate ways.

### "Okay, so, saying the whole worse-worse situation comes true, what do we do?" He asked, sounding slightly more collected than he had done for the most of the evening.

### "We take it one day at a time, and if anyone stares, we stare right back and creep them out," she said, leaning against him, too tired to even laugh. He just took her hand and she squeezed reassuringly.

### "Aren't I supposed to be the one reassuring you?" he asked.

### "You did that earlier, now it's my turn. Although I wouldn't say no to a hug if you're offering." So he hugged her. 

### "We're going to be okay," he muttered, as he kissed the top of her head, then let her go and walked away slowly. Somehow, those five words filled her with more relief than the rest of the conversation put together.

### The next morning, pupils filed into the Great Hall as normal. They started to eat their breakfast as normal. And the owls arrived with the post as normal. But what no one noticed, was that Professor's Snape and McGonagall were acting anything but normal. Neither had slept for more than an hour the previous night, and both were on the edge of their seats, hoping, praying for a response from the school board, so that, even if they were told that the school must be informed of their relationship, at least they would know.

### As a large snowy owl fluttered down to Dumbledore's side, both were on tenterhooks as he examined the envelopes. After a moment of sifting through them, he handed a large brown one to Professor McGonagall.

### "I think that has what you're after inside," he smiled encouragingly as she took it from him.

### She leant towards Snape as she prised the letter inside out and spread it on the table between them. It read:

### Albus,

### Well that certainly is startling news! I have contacted the rest of the school board, and we all agree that, whilst it is quite obvious that neither professors intended for anyone to be hurt, they did make a rather severe mistake, and we feel that it is in the best interest of the Hogwarts pupils for them to be informed about this. We hope that you will handle the situation with discretion and wish the pair all the best.

### Yours,

### (insert name here, I'm too tired to make one up!)


	12. Default Chapter Title

Part Twelve

A/n: First of all, I'd like to apologise for not getting this up sooner. I HAVE been kinda busy recently, plus I'm lazy all round. But I'm off school at the moment cos I'm not v. well, so I thought I should probably get writing. Although if it weren't for the fact my parents are decorating and our computer is hidden behind the table, dishwasher and washing machine, I would probably be on the net instead, which shows just how lazy I am. But I'm not lazy through and through, today I taught my eight week old bunny a trick. When you bang your hands on your knees and shout 'Coco!' he sniffs the TV remote. Not what I was aiming for but.........damn, I'm rambling! Why do I always get so sucked in to authors notes?!?!

Minerva bowed her head and handed the letter back to Dumbledore wordlessly. He skimmed through it quickly, and turned to them looking grave.

"Well, I suppose we have our orders." She took a deep breath and reached for Severus's hand. He squeezed it with a reassurance she wished she felt.

"Now?" she heard him ask.

"Would you prefer it if we were to leave it until this evening?" Dumbledore asked. She looked up and met Severus's eyes.

"No," she whispered. "Let's get it over with." He nodded. Slowly, Dumbledore got to his feet. He cleared his throat and motioned for silence. When the hall was quiet and all eyes were upon him, he began to speak.

"At some point in our lives, we will all make mistakes. Some may well be more serious than others. Some people may make alot of mistakes, some may make only a few. Some mistakes may affect the rest of our lives, others may affect the rest of the day." 'But the point is, every single one of you sitting here now, will, at some point in the course of your life, make a mistake." He paused. "But it takes a big person to be able to admit that they made a mistake and move on. And very often, to do that, they will need the help and support of the people around them. Which brings me to what I want to talk to you about now." He took a breath. "Last night, the life of a pupil, who I shan't mention by name, was put at risk by two members of staff here at Hogwarts who are just starting out in a relationship." A few excited whispers started to make their way around the room, but Dumbledore held up his hands and once more motioned for silence. "It wasn't purposeful, but it still happened. And I would like you all to offer your support and understanding to Proffesors Snape and McGonagall as you would to any new couple at the start of a relationship." This time the room exploded with loud and very disturbed chatter and shouts. 

Minerva kept her eyes cast firmly down at the table top and refused to look up. But she didn't have to look up to know that nearly every face in the room was turned towards the two seats in which she and Severus were sitting. She felt her face heat up a little and felt an urge to crawl underneath the table and hide, but she decided that that probably wouldn't have been the best way to conclude the situation.

But that didn't stop her from being glad when someone decided that it was time for lessons to start and people started to file out. As stood, and, recieving one last reassuring squeeze of her hand, swept silently towards her classroom, attempting to ignore all the strange looks she was recieving. 

"One question. Why?" Turning slightly, Minerva saw that Remus Lupin was now by her side, with a very put on (she hoped) disgusted look on his face." 'She swatted at him in rather the same way you would swat at a fly and shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm afraid I'm as lost as you are on that one." she replied. "Do you have a problem?"

"No," he shrugged. "I guess we just don't have the same taste."

"Well I'd be rather worried if we did," she laughed. "Infact I'd be incredibly worried."

"Yeah, well, I want to hear just what went on last night, so be prepared to answer alot of questions later on. Actually, I think you'd better be prepared to answer alot of questions all day," he said, as they passed a large group of sixth year girls who started laughing as they passed. 

"I don't think I'm going to get alot of teaching done today am I?" she sighed.

"Well you don't have to tell them anything," he said. "But I think that would probably just spark their interest even more."

"You're right." she stopped as she came to the door of her classroom. "I suppose I'll see you later then."

"Yep," he grinned. "And remember, I want all the details." He walked off, and she swung the door open. Inwardly, she groaned, as her rather giggly first year Hufflepuff class fell into hysterics the minute she entered the room.

The lesson went downhill from there onwards. No one paid the slightest bit of attention when she demonstrated the correct way to turn an eraser into a sharpener, and she decided against getting authorative in the hopes that, once they'd got it out of their systems there would be no need for nonesense in the future.

When she asked if there were any questions, every hand was in the air. But when she asked if there were any questions that were actually about the transfiguration, there were, well, none. Infact, by the time first period was over, she was starting to feel like screaming.

However, there had been no change what so ever in Snape's first Potions class that day, as the seventh year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaws were smart enough to know not to pass comment. And when his fifth year Gryffindor and Slytherin class filed in, no outsider would have even guessed that a major revalation had taken place just over an hour earlier.

He noted that Granger, Wealsey and Potter looked rather relaxed, and reminded himself to find reason to take some points from Gryffindor later on. But he was not to know that, as he barked instructions as to how to concoct the potion he would be testing on at the end of the lesson, three of his students were laying out plans behind a notebook.

Or rather, one of his students was laying out plans behind a notebook and two were nodding vigorously in agreement. Those three students were Draco Malfoy and his henchmen, Crabbe and Goyle.

Since breakfast that morning, Draco had been fuming. He couldn't bring himself to believe that his own head of house was liasing with the head of Gryfinndor. And Gryfinndor of all houses! In his mind, and proabably the minds of many others, he felt that something was wrong.

Furiously, he scribbled down: 'This can't be happening! Something's definatly not right here.' Crabbe and Goyle nodded in agreement." ''I know something's going on. I mean, this is Snape we're talking about!' They nodded again. 'And come on, we've all seen McGonagall, she's not exactly.....well, let's just say I'd rather date my house elf than her.' Crabbe and Goyle snorted with laughter, but covered it up by bursting into fake coughs. Snape didn't so much as glare at them, he was too busy finding fault in Neville. Draco sucked the end of his quill and wrote, thoughtfully: 'I reckon she's done something to him. Like a love potion or something like that. This can't be natural.' Crabbe and Goyle looked, and their version of a thoughtfull face was demonstrated. Malfoy smirked. Morons. They probably didn't even know what a love potion was. 'We've got to do something.....he probably doesn't know she's done anything, I've heard love potions are hard to detect. But just what we can do, I'm not quite sure.......' And he mentally decided to visit the library and do some proper scheming later.

2ndA/n: Yay, I finished another part! And I'd been putting off writing this for ages.....I guess it just took being sick to give me a little push in the right direction. Although I did actually start to write this two days ago and I'm now back at school (although that doesn't mean I don't have to keep taking painkillers at one in the morning!) Since today was an exceptionally good day (I was captain in PE, I scored my teams only goal, I had a go at my German teacher, basically everything I never thought I'd be able to do) I think I enjoyed writing this more than I normally would do, so if there isn't another part up for a week or so, then you know it's because I'm waiting to have another good day!


	13. Default Chapter Title

Part Thirteen

A/n: Sorry, I know this is a little over due, but I haven't really had much time to write lately. It's the half term and my dad's gone and done his back in, meaning I have to run around helping him do things like put his socks on. Trust me, I'd much rather be writing! I don't know how many of you read the transcript from the chat Rowling did on the sixteenth (I think that's the right date) but she actually gave away McGonagall's age, and, well, she's seventy. Which kind of makes this whole series even more unbelievable than it was to start with. So I'm only going to continue with this if people want me to. If not, I'm sure I can come up with some way to end it and pull together all the loose strings. Because I can't really see much point in continuing with a character who, in a sense, isn't really real unless people want me to. But I'm going to write this fic as I was planning on doing before I found out just how old McGonagall really is, and I guess we'll see what happens from there.

A couple of weeks had passed at Hogwarts since the school board had ordered that the school be informed of the relationship which existed between Minerva and Severus, and things were very slowly (very being the operative word) beginning to return to normal. It would be a while until things were fully normal again, if they ever were, but at least now both could walk down corridors without a sea of whispers breaking out. Now it was down to a dozen or so people staring and pointing where ever they went, but it was better than the entire school, at least.

Lessons had returned to normal a matter of days after the revelation, with Minerva tiring of hoping that things would die down if she let her students get whatever they needed to out of their systems, after a few hours. And, well, there had never really been any change in Potions lessons to begin with. 

But at least now there was a light (no matter how dim) at the end of the tunnel, with Christmas break coming up shortly, meaning that everyone would have a chance to forget over a week long period. (A/n: I think that's how long they get in the books isn't it? Traditionally other schools in England get two weeks, but then, Hogwarts isn't exactly a traditional school is it?) And it was this thought and this thought only that was allowing Minerva to relax, something it had been a while since she'd last done. 

"What are you smiling about?" Severus asked. They were sat together, her on his knee, in a large and comfy armchair, that had appeared from somewhere, in the corner of her room.

"Aren't I allowed to smile any more then?" she asked.

"I was just wondering. You've been acting all stressed out for ages now."

"I have not!"

"So what were you smiling about?"

"It's nearly Christmas."

"Another trivial holiday, just an excuse to let children out of school if you ask me."

"Not very religious are you?" He shrugged. "Besides, isn't that a good thing? The school will be nearly empty." He paused, as if considering this.

"Suddenly I'm beginning to warm to this holiday." She smiled and closed her eyes, as if imagining it.

"Just think, no staring eyes, no whispering or pointing and for a whole week."

"You do know they're going to get bored of staring sometime don't you? It won't last forever."

"I know," she murmured. "It just doesn't feel that way right now."

"Well it has only been two weeks. You do have to give it **some **time you know. Besides, don't you think you're getting a bit ahead of yourself? Christmas isn't for over a month yet." She groaned.

"Don't remind me." She was sure he almost laughed. "Do you think they'll ever accept this as a normal relationship?" He paused.

"Define normal." Her brow furrowed.

"I don't know. Just, **normal**. As in not strange."

"You want my honest opinion on that one?"

"Yep."

"No." She sighed.

"Oh well. It was worth a shot." Suddenly she wasn't in such a good mood anymore.

The following Monday, shortly after lunch, they found that they were alone in the staff room, which was a rare occurrence. It didn't last long though, because, shortly, they were interrupted, when Dumbledore entered the room. He looked around, a little dismayed.

"Oh." he said. "I was hoping there would be a few more here. But never mind. Do you remember a few weeks ago, when I said I would be looking to take on a supply ancient runes teacher?" Minerva cast her mind back. She vaguely recalled him saying something of the sort, but if she were quite honest with herself, she would have to admit that she hadn't really given it much thought. She nodded though.

"Well I advertised in the Daily Prophet and had a single applicant. I interviewed her a few days ago, and found no fault. And she's here now." he smiled at someone stood outside the door. "Come in dear." A woman, who looked to be in her early forties, with long red hair and narrow green eyes entered the room. "This is Rebecca Thomlinson." Minerva heard both Severus and the woman she now knew as Rebecca gasp, and before she knew what was happening, she found herself being almost pushed to one side as they met in the middle of the room, locked in a tight hug.

"Oh Sev, I've missed you so much! How long has it been?"

"Too long." He kissed her on the cheek, a friendly gesture, which, if she were a little more neurotic, Minerva could easily have interpreted as otherwise. She met Dumbledore's eyes over the tops if their heads. His eyebrows were raised. He cleared his throat.

"Ahem. Yes, well, Rebecca, perhaps you would like a brief tour of the school? Refresh your memory a little?" Rebecca gingerly pulled herself out of Severus's arms, and walked towards the door. Looking back over her shoulder she smiled widely and said: 

"I'll talk to you later okay?"

"Okay." Severus didn't move until she had fully left the room, and the door was closed. As he turned back around, Minerva smiled sweetly and said:

"An old friend?" Severus couldn't hide the embarrassment in his face.

"Funny story." he mumbled.

"I'm all ears."

"Well, uh, Rebecca and I were what you could probably call high school sweet hearts. But alot less sickly." he wrinkled his nose. "And, uh, when we left school, she went off to Poland, to study...something. But we, uh, we never really broke up." At seeing the disbelieving look on Minerva's face, he muttered; "Okay, maybe it wasn't such a funny story."


	14. Default Chapter Title

Part Fourteen

A/n: Okay, sorry I haven't written anything for a while, I'm not even going to attempt to think of an excuse because: one, I suck at excuses and two, I want to get onto the fic as quickly as possible before I loose the urge to write. And of course, we wouldn't want that to happen would we, because who knows how long it'll be until I turn my word processor on again!

Minerva laughed shakily.

"Okay, that wasn't funny. Not in the slightest. Except maybe the mental images that you having a high school sweet heart entail."

"Well if it wasn't funny, why are you laughing?"

"Because I either laugh or I cry and I don't like crying!"

"Me either. I can't handle people crying. Especially women. Please don't." There was a note of panic in his voice. She sank into a chair slowly.

"Don't worry, I'm not going to. Besides, I have no reason to cry. Right?" Now she was the one sounding more than a little panicky. He sank to his knees beside her chair and took her hands in his.

"Definitely not." He kissed her cheek gently, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Rebecca is an old friend, and maybe we were more at one time, but I haven't seen her for years and there is absolutely nothing to get worked up about. She's part of my past. You're my future." She paused.

"That's the sweetest bloody thing I've ever heard you say. Are you feeling alright?" (Ick ick ick, sappy sappy sappy:-P)

The rest of the day passed fairly uneventfully, and it wasn't until later that evening, when Snape was sat alone in his dungeon classroom marking the pathetic excuses for essays he had been handed by a group of first year Hufflepuff students, that he and Rebecca had a chance to talk.

When the door at the top of the stairs creaked open, he glared upwards impatiently. Whoever it was had better have a damn good reason for disturbing him; if there was one thing he couldn't stand it was being interrupted when he was giving out low grades.

However, the woman at the top of the stairs, now descending slowly, wasn't one he was keen to turn away. She smiled, as she jumped down the last few steps and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into another, breath takingly uncomfortable, hug.

"Oh Sev, I've missed you so much!" She squealed. Severus winced. He had somehow managed to forget just how high her voice could go. And, come to that, how she had an annoying habit of hugging him so hard he couldn't breath. But nonetheless, he hugged her back, and said:

"I've missed you too. Kind of."

"And what's that meant to mean?" She asked, hitting him playfully.

"That's meant to mean that, I missed you for a few days, maybe a week or so after you left, but then I joined forces with You-Know-Who and stopped missing you." She looked a little disturbed, but laughed it off and hugged him even tighter, saying:

"Oh Sev, you always were a joker!" He paused.

"No I wasn't."

"Well maybe not, but you always made me laugh. Okay, so maybe alot of the time I was laughing at you not with you, but well-"

"Okay, I missed you to Rebecca, you don't have to go into detail."

"Sorry, but you were so sweet when you were a kid. Remember how you didn't use to have any friends except for that Malfoy character and his cronies?"

"Yeah, and remember how we only ended up together after Malfoy turned you down?" He asked wryly. At this she blushed and looked a little embarrassed.

"Yes, well, you have to admit, Lucius Malfoy WAS a hottie."

"Not much changed with you then?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well you still look and sound like a complete airhead...." She hit him again, though maybe not quite so playfully this time. He held up his hands in defence.

"Joke! See, I really can be funny when I try."

"Please don't try. It's painful."

"Thanks, but I'm not the one who referred to Lucius Malfoy as a 'hottie'."

"Well I'd be worried if you had done...."

"So would I strangely enough." She laughed.

"Okay, lets drop that for now! So, wanna hear what I've been up to?"

"I don't know, do I?"

"Yes you do."

"Okay then, what have you been up to?"

"Well first of all, I learned Polish in like a week, which I was really proud of, and started working for the Polish Ministry of Magic. I worked my way up the ladder of employment, all the time gaining more money for my study of Polish Greens-"

"Polish Greens?"

"The dragons I moved to another country to study remember? Your hopeless, you really are. Anyway, eventually, I wrote this groundbreaking report about how the Greens in captivity are constantly tormented, and how their living conditions were appalling, and ended up making a whole lot of moolah."

"What was so appalling about the way they were kept that would make people take notice of anything written by you?" He teased. Suddenly, a wicked grin spread across her face.

"That's the beauty of the thing. There was nothing wrong with the way they were being kept what so ever!"

"Then why say there was?"

"Well come on, what's groundbreaking about a report on how Polish Greens are wonderfully kept and are such friendly and human reliant creatures that being set loose would probably kill them?" She chuckled. "Aren't I evil?"

"That'll be the Slytherin upbringing." He remarked, wondering how the Polish would manage to disguise a flock of dead dragons falling from the sky from the muggles......

"Let me guess, you came back here so that when it turned out that the dragons weren't actually being tormented they wouldn't be able to find you?"

"Well that and, I wanted to boast to you about what I did." She grinned. "Aren't you proud of me Sev?"

"Well I guess if you think you did something to be proud of then I am. But couldn't you have told me all that in a letter? And maybe moved somewhere like Alaska where the Polish people would never think to look for you?"

"Oh but that wouldn't be fun now would it?" She whispered huskily. "No fun at all." She was now standing a little too close for comfort, and Snape was about to take a step back when she threw her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear:

"I'm looking forwards to picking up right where we left off." And before he could even begin to protest, she had covered his mouth with hers and was kissing him hungrily. 

Added on 2nd A/n bit: Okay, I just want to take this opportunity to say yay me! My writer's block is gone! Completely gone! And tonight while I was writing this I finished part 15 as well! I'll either put that up tomorrow or in the next few days, and now I'm gonna go and be happy because I can write again!J


	15. Default Chapter Title

Part Fifteen

A/n: Ohhh, I'm so proud of me! I've had dreadful writers block for the past two weeks and now I'm in the middle of writing the second part to my series this evening! Knowing my luck, both parts will totally suck, but after re-reading part fourteen five times, I think it's pretty good! I've confused myself a little with Rebecca's character; originally she was just meant to be someone incredibly loath able and evil, but she kind of turned into an airhead while I was writing her. Who knows, maybe that's just how she was meant to be. But then, who cares, my writers block is gone, joy!!! :-) 

'Pulling away from her tight embrace, Severus took a few steps backwards hastily.

"What's the matter?" She blinked, looking hurt. "Am I moving to fast for you? Do we have to go back to being 'just friends' before we can start anything again?"

"No!"

"Then you're being silly! Come here, relax!" She purred, walking towards him and closing the gap again. He pushed her firmly to one side, and took yet another couple of steps in the opposite direction.

"No, I didn't mean it like that! The thing is, we have to go back to being just friends, but nothing's going to start up again!"

"Oh why sweetie?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him. "Scared I might run off to another country again? I'm not going to you know, not until the uproar in Poland's died down a bit anyway. Besides, I wouldn't do that to you again, after the drastic measures you went to last time to get over the grieving process."

"Okay, one, I didn't join You-Know-Who to get over you-"

"Why did you then? Come on, admit it, I must have played some part in your descision, I mean, I leave you, your heart breaks and you become even more messed up, you join You-Know-Who!" He sighed.

"If I say you may have had a tiny little bit to do with it will you stop going on?" She looked hurt, and narrowed her eyes a little, but eventually conceded.

"I guess so. Besides, weren't we in the middle of discussing something more important? Like why you wont kiss me?"

"Yes we were. And I'm glad you brought that up again, because we really do have to get that sorted. But first, didn't you, you know, find someone else while you were in Poland?"

"Well yes, but he was sort of head of a team that cared for Polish Greens and very sadly I had to drag his name through the mud to earn a bit of spending money. I think there's a distinct possibility I'm now on his hit list, so I don't think there's going to be any romantic reconciliation there. But I thought that maybe there could be one between us. Obviously I was wrong. So, come on, out with it, why wont you make out with me?"

"Because I'm with someone else Rebecca! You can't just go away for twenty one years and come back expecting everything to be exactly the same and for me to great you with open arms!"

"Why?" She asked in a bored tone.

"Because people change. You may not have realised, but while you were off making money at other people's misery, alot of things have changed over here!"

"I don't see much difference. It's still wet out side isn't it? We're still loosing to Germany at Quidditch and blaming our captains are we not? And we're still pretending that we're better than Scotland at Quidditch are we not?" (A/n: Okay, that wasn't meant to be in the least bit offensive, after all, I live in England, why would I want to slag off my own country?!?!? But technically I'm half Scottish on my fathers side and therefore Scottish by nationality which I'm very proud off, and my team are EIGHTH in the premiere division, AND they only moved up this season! Ur, okay, gonna calm down now. But that's why I threw in the Scottish jibe. Before I start to write again,. any of you ever heard of Dunfirmline Athletic? They could so take on ManU!)

"Okay, maybe a few things are the same, but not much. There's alot that has changed. Me for instance. And I'm sorry, but I've moved on, and you can't turn up again after all these years just expecting me to take you back!"

"Does that mean you're not going to?"

"Yes it means I'm not going to!"

"Oh, okay then. I guess I'll just have to find somebody else. So who is she?"

"What do you care?" he asked stiffly. 

"I don't." She replied curtly. "Just trying to make conversation. After all, we are still friends are we not? Or have you change too much to want to talk to me too?"

"Oh don't be daft," he sighed, seeing the hurt look on her face and feeling slightly guilty. "Of course we're still friends. Just not lovers."

"Your loss," She shrugged. "So come on, seriously, who's the poor girl that's ended up with you?" This wasn't meant as an insult, and, knowing her too well to allow himself to be wound up by her, Severus didn't take it as one.

"Minerva McGonagall." He replied, offering no further detail. He was however, rather annoyed when Rebecca burst into peals of laughter.

"Minerva McGonagall? Wasn't she that stuffy head girl when we were first years? The one with the incoherant accent?"

"It's not incoherant at all. You must never have listened properly." She had got his back up now and he had gone back to feeling immensely cagey.

"But still, god Sev she's six years older than you, she must be ancient! And wasn't she a Gryfinndor?" She spat out the word Gryfinndor as if she found it a highly insulting word to be brushing her lips.

"Yes she was. And I don't see why you should have a problem with that. We are 'mature' adults are we not?"

"But still, Sev, a Gryfinndor! That's sick honey, and if you don't mind my saying so, you really are messed up." He glared at her, not speaking. "But don't worry about that, when you realise just how in need of help you are, just give me a call. I'm real good at councilling people." And with a wink and a smile, she flounced out of the room, leaving Severus feeling more than a little glad that their confrontation was over.

Meanwhile, in the hallways above the dungeons, Minerva had just been knocked from her feet by a firey red head jogging through the halls.

"Watch where your going why don't you? And what are you doing out of your dormatry at this hour? Lights out was an hour ago as you should very well-Oh, oh, I'm sorry, I thought you were a pupil."

"Well that was obvious." Spat a very peeved off Rebecca Thomlinson. "And maybe if you watched where you were going you might have seen me coming towards you. But I suppose that would have been too much to ask of a Gryfinndor." She muttered the last sentence, but not so quiet that it couldn't be heard.

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Minerva snapped.

"Oh nothing dear." Rebecca replied airily. "I do think we've rather gone and got off on the wrong foot have we not? You and me, we've got alot in common I'm sure." Her eyes were glittering with malice. "Like Severus for instance. Great kisser isn't he? After all these years you'd have thought he'd have lost style from lack of practice. But evidently not. Oh well, tah tah dear, I'll see you tomorrow I should expect." And she breezed off airily, leaving Minerva feeling more than a little stunned.


	16. Default Chapter Title

Part Sixteen

A/n: Well, I'm off school ill, alone in the house and Trisha's just finished on TV. So I really have no excuse not to write, especially seeing as how Richard and Judy are on next *shudder* Then again, I might flick it on at half eleven to see if I know the answer to the Midday Money question…….see what happens to me when I'm sick!!! If I ever find out who gave me the flu then I sware I'll-and moving swiftly on!

Minerva stood speechless for a few moments, watching the hastily retreating back of a woman she had only just met, but was already beginning to loathe. Which wasn't really fair, as she had only just spoken to her for the first time, she knew she shouldn't really judge her upon their first conversation, if you could call it that, but her words were ringing in her head and refused to leave her thoughts.

'_You and me, we've got alot in common I'm sure….._ _Like Severus for instance. Great kisser isn't he? After all these years you'd have thought he'd have lost style from lack of practice. But evidently not.'_

Well she wasn't dim. She knew what was being implied. She just wasn't sure if she believed it or not. After all, she **had** only just met the woman, she didn't have a clue what possible motives she could have for lying to her…..Well there was only one thing for it. She was going to have to find out. Turning around, she set off determinedly towards the dungeons.

Upon hearing the door to his classroom creak open once more, Severus winced somewhat. Couldn't the woman take no for an answer? He was about to ask as much, when he realised that the descending figure wasn't that of Rebecca.

"Min, hi, are you okay?" She looked a little……..angry.

"I'm fine thank you," She said through tight lips. "Just had a lovely little *conversation* with Rebecca."

"Oh God, Min, whatever she told you-"

"Look, I don't want to hear it okay? I just want to know-did you kiss?" There was a long and drawn out pause.

"Well yes but-"

"What? You mean she was actually telling the truth? I-"

"Hey, you've got to hear me out here, it isn't like you think-" 

"Oh isn't it? I can't believe you Severus, I really can't!" And she turned and started to storm out of the dungeon, leaving Severus shouting at her back. 

Half an hour later, when the papers infront of him were as covered as they possibly could be with red ink, Serverus leaned forwards onto his desk, leant his head in his hands, groaned and realised that he probably should have run after her.

The next morning dawned bright and blue, but there was still a faint chill in the air. (It was, after all, late November time.) Waking up, and trying to shake off the crick in his neck, Severus realised that he had fallen asleep at the desk in his classroom. Standing, he saw that there was now a small puddle of red ink on the floor and down the side of his desk where he had knocked the bottle over in his sleep. Sighing, he took out his wand and muttered:

"Vanishio," and started off towards his bedroom to change out of his now very creased robes, as the desk and floor cleaned themselves off.

When he arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast, he couldn't help but notice that he was being ignored. Which wasn't exactly out of the ordinary, but the way Minerva managed to avoid acknowledging his presence in any way, shape or form was a little unnerving. 

He was about to say something to her, when someone passed behind him, put their arms around his shoulders, and kissed his cheek warmly.

"Good morning sunshine, sleep well?" Rebecca asked him, pushing a lock of red hair out of her face.

"One, don't kiss me. Two, no I didn't. Three, don't **ever** call me sunshine," he growled in a hushed voice. She merely shrugged and walked a little further down the table, where she drew out a chair between Professor's Vector and Sinistra. 

Turning back towards Minerva, he noticed that her knuckles had gone rather white, as she gripped a slice of toast in such a way that he was rather surprised that her fingernails hadn't gone through the other side.

"Min," he said, reaching towards her hand, which she instantly pulled away. "Min, just listen to me please." She didn't even look as if she'd heard him (which she must have done as they were sat only centimetres apart.) He was about to try again, when, on her other side, Dumbledore got to his feet and called for silence.

For a moment, Severus wondered what was happening, but when he heard Dumbledore start to introduce Rebecca to the rest of the school, he automatically shut off.

"Look, Min, this is all a huge misunderstanding, and if you'd just listen to me then you you'd realise that," he hissed, so quietly no one but Minerva would be able to hear him. She however, pretended that she hadn't and seemed to take a sudden interest in everything that Dumbledore was telling the pupils present about Rebecca. Briefly, it crossed Severus's mind to wonder just how Rebecca had managed to conceal what she had been up to in Poland from him. Thinking about it, he wondered if she'd even bothered trying to cover it up. He didn't suppose Dumbledore would hold it against her anyway, if she pleaded that she was a changed case that needed another chance. After all, you never could quite tell what was going on inside the mind of a man who had, in his time, employed a were-wolf, two Death Eaters and a man with Lord Voldemort sewn onto the back of his head…

As Dumbledore sat, Severus switched back on, and turned once more to Minerva. He knew that he had to make her listen, he just, well, wasn't entirely sure how. He sighed.

"Okay, you know what? I'm just going to talk, and you'd be doing me a huge favour if you could just pretend to listen," He said. Immediately, Minerva twisted even more to the side so he couldn't even see her face anymore. Well at least that meant she was listening, to turn away when he asked her to pretend to listen…didn't it?

"Look, last night, you only got a tiny part of the story, you stormed off before I could tell you the whole thing. Okay, I admit, we did kiss, but it was more like she kissed me. And then I told her where she could get off. She **did** want to start something up again, but, well, I told her about you. And, admittedly, she was pretty pissed, but it got her to go away. And I really don't know what she said to you, but I can probably assure you that she was lying. And that's the truth."

"And you really expect me to believe that?" Minerva snapped as she pushed her plate forwards and stood. Pocketing an unpeeled orange, she turned, and hurried from the hall before Severus had a chance to see the tears forming in the corners of her eyes.

As she rushed down the corridor towards her classroom, Minerva took several deep breaths in an attempt to steady herself. She had been angry enough last night, at being told that, after everything he had said to her the previous afternoon, they'd gone and kissed anyway. But now with him *lying* to her-she could feel her blood boiling. And she was sure she was being lied to. After all, she *had* seen the woman. And she was pretty. Very pretty. She couldn't deny that. And, damn it, she supposed she couldn't blame him for *wanting* to kiss her… they *did* have a history, and it had been such a long time since they'd seen each other. She supposed that, after a few days she would have calmed down and accepted that. But if there was one thing she couldn't stand it was being lied to. And that she couldn't accept.

A few minutes later, the rest of the hall started to empty, and, as she brushed back past him, Rebecca leant down into a similar position to the one she had been in before, and whispered in his ear:

"Well, seems that that one went down the drain rather quickly. You know where I'll be if, for **whatever** reason you feel the need to talk to someone……" And, for reasons even he himself wasn't quite sure of, Severus felt that he might just take her up on that.

He was still wondering why later that day, as he walked down the winding corridor in the west wing that led to the ancient runes classroom. Pausing outside the door to check that there were no pupils present, he pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside.

He was instantly greeted by Rebecca, as she jumped up from her chair and threw her arms around his neck.

"Mmmmm, it's good to see you, I had an inkling that you might drop by at some point. How are you holding up?" She asking, in a very concerned voice.

"Just fine," he sighed. "I'm not even going to fight with you about whatever the hell you said to her, because I really don't want to get into all that at the moment."

"Oh of course," she murmed sympathetically. "It's only natural that you don't want to talk about it. It would probably make you feel better if you did, but I quite understand you not wanting to. And I didn't actually **tell** her anything by-"

"I thought I said I didn't want to get into that right now? Just, just tell me about your day or something."

"You sound distracted……but if you **really** want to hear about my day-"

"Oh I do," He said, lacking any conviction in his voice whatsoever. 

"Well, it was actually incredibly boring up until you came in. I really don't think I'm at all cut out for teaching, but when one's on the run from the Polish, then you'd be amazed at the jobs you'd be willing to take…"

"So what happens when they catch you?"

"Oh, they won't catch me. And if they did then I'd immigrate. But it **won't **happen. The only way they'd find me would be if someone who knew what I'd done and knew where I was turned me in. And I can't think of a single person who'd want to go and do that now, can you?" She asked, moving closer to him and running her fingers down his chest.

"No." He sighed. "Not a single person." And whether it be through tiredness, or frustration, or just lack of the energy needed to push her away, he found himself being pulled into a tight embrace, which strangely, he found he had no will to end.


	17. Default Chapter Title

Part Seventeen

A/n: I have a sudden urge to write and write and write, which doesn't happen often, so I'm going to get straight onto the fic before I can't be bothered with it!

Opening his eyes groggily and covering his face to protect it from the glaring sunlight pouring in through the bedroom window, Severus Snape moaned, and tried to recollect the events of the previous night. 

But the minute he started to try and remember the last time he remembered being fully concious, he instantly felt as if his mind had hit up against a brick wall.

He remembered the morning, which was actually quite a pity as he vaguely remembered spending alot of the day trying to forget it.... Yes, he definitely remembered breakfast and all the events that had entailed.... He had attempted to explain to Minerva just how she had gotten the wrong end of the stick about the whole kissing situation with Rebecca and she had stormed out in disbelief, attracting a few unwanted looks...and Rebecca....yes, something had definitely happened involving Rebecca....

In his minds eye he could see himself walking down a sunlit corridor....a corridor in the west wing he thought led to the ancient runes classroom....and that was where Rebecca would be....but after that-nothing.

Pushing the hair out of his face, he sat up and glared at the bird sat on the windowsill chirruping away. Damn thing. He didn't stop to wonder why his curtains were open, just pulled himself out of bed before he gave up and spent the day there.

Clumsily, he stumbled across to his bathroom door, pushed it open, and stepped inside. Then jumped straight back out

There was someone in his shower and he didn't have a clue who it could be. He was in half a mind to go back in and check, when a redhead wrapped in a fluffy white bath towel stepped into his bedroom.

"Good morning sunshine," Rebecca chirped. "Sleep well?" He stood; open mouthed staring as she picked up several items of clothing that were scattered randomly across his floor. "Not got a tongue in your head sweetie?" She smiled, stepping towards him. "Aren't you even going to say good morning to me?"

"Wh-what are you doing here?" She giggled.

"What does it look like? I'm stood in the middle of your bedroom wrapped in a towel."

"Well-ah-wh-**why** are you here?" She moved towards him and giggled again.

"You invited me silly. Don't you remember?"

"Funnily enough, no I don't. Why did I invite you in here?"

"Don't ask me," she shrugged. "You were pretty upset yesterday, and I did my best to make you feel better." She licked her lips, slowly. "So, did it work?"

"Well if you're asking if I feel better, then I think you'll find that the answer is no! You shouldn't be here! What the hell did we do last night? And why can't I remember anything?"

"You really want me to tell you what we did last night?" she purred.

"Well it might be a start, yes!" She spoke slowly, rolling each word off her tongue softly.

"We spent the entire night, making mad and passionate l-"

"Okay, I don't need the details!"

"Well you did ask," She shot a simpering smile at him, as she turned to draw the curtains.

"What've you done that for?" She didn't answer, but instead, dropped the towel that was covering her body and started to dress, slowly. "Oh God, can't you do that in the bathroom?" He asked, in a harassed tone, as he turned away to avoid staring at anything he shouldn't.

"That's not what you said last night sweetie," she grinned. "Infact I think your words were 'Oh Rebecca, f-"

"Ugh, please, I don't want to be hearing this!"

"What's wrong honey, got cold feet? A little late now isn't it?"

"Look, I really don't remember what happened last night or why any of it happened, and I'm sorry, but it shouldn't have happened!"

"Awww, you're in denial honey. You know you want me really."

"No I don't! Infact, I want you to leave, now! Everything that happened yesterday was all one big mistake that should never have happened, and I'm sorry, but that's just the way I feel!"

"Why's that then sweetie? Don't I seem so appealing in the morning light? Is that it?" She sat down on the edge of his bed and started to cry quietly into her hands. "You men are all the same!" Gingerly, Severus stepped forwards and sat down next to her. Reluctantly, he put a hand on her shoulder and pulled her into a very loose hug. Immendiatly, she stopped crying (crocodile tears are funny like that) and started to snivel pitifully into his shoulder.

"Come on, don't be upset, it's not your fault or anything."

"Then why were you shouting at me? I don't like being shouted at."

"I'm sorry I shouted, but I didn't exactly feel capable of doing anything but. You know, I woke up with no memory of what happened last night, walk into my bathroom and find you stood in my shower. Rather an alarming situation, don't you agree?"

"Well I can think of other words for it, but you brought this all onto yourself you know. You asked me to stay with you and I did. I thought you wanted me, but obviously I was wrong." She battered her eyelashes and pouted.

"Look, like I said, it's not you or anything, and who knows, if the situation was different, or you'd come back around three months ago, then maybe we'd be together right now. But we're not and I'd really appreciate it if you'd keep this to yourself."

"Oh I see. Give her a cuddle and she'll keep her mouth shut, is that it?"

"No that's not it! But Becca, listen to me, Minny's pissed with me as it is, if she hears about this then I seriously doubt that she'll be willing to talk to me ever again! And I really can't be doing with that right now! Please, for me, will you not say anything?"

"I'll think about it," She sulked. "You know that being quiet was never a strong point of mine."

"Yeah, I noticed."

"Oi you!" She laughed, and hit him playfully. "I'd watch what you're saying if I were you! It's never wise to insult someone that you need to keep quiet now is it?" Severus laughed, but broke off after a few seconds...he was sure he'd heard those words or similar somewhere before....yes, he had. When his relationship with Minerva was only a couple of weeks old and they were having to trust that Potter boy to keep it to himself...he didn't remember the situation exactly, but he had obviously found something to shout at him about...

"Penny for your thought's!" Rebecca laughed, silky. "You looked completely gone there for a minute!"

"Oh, did I? Sorry, I was just...thinking."

"Sev?"

"Mmm,"

"Do you love her?" she asked quietly.

"What?"

"You heard me. I said, do you love her?"

"Minny?"

"No the Queen mother, yes Minny you idiot!"

"Oh, sorry.....I don't know," he sighed. "Love is such a strong word, and it's only been a few months," A few very eventful months, he thought to himself.

"So is that a no?"

"No..."

"Then is that a yes?"

"No..."

"Is that a 'you just asked a very personal question that even if I had an answer to I wouldn't tell you'?"

"Possibly..."

"Sev?"

"Yes?"

"Do you love me?"

"In what way?"

"As a friend. In a purely platonic way."

"Well I'd love you a whole lot more if you didn't kiss and tell...especially when it was a very one sided kiss..."

"Well I was mad at you! And you know the saying, there's no greater fury than that of a woman spurned....besides, you should be thanking me. I could have scratched her eyeballs out, but I didn't."

"Really? Well that changes everything then, thank you very much!"

"You're being sarcastic aren't you?"

"No, of course not," he muttered, in a very sarcastic tone of voice. She sighed.

"Look, Sev, if it means that much to you, then I won't say anything. If I were you, I'd want to come clean anyway, but, well, I'm not you and I really haven't got a clue what's going on up here," she taped his forehead gently. "But I think that you really should be asking yourself, why, if she means that much to you, did you spend the night with me?"

"If I had an answer to that, do you think I'd be sat here with a headache?"

"No, I think you'd probably be sat here trying to come up with a good excuse."

"Well you're probably right, but when I work out just what was going on up here," he taped the side of his head. "Then rest assured you'll be the first to know."

"Gee thanks," she smiled. "Now I'd better get going. I'm wearing dirty underwear, and I really cannot sit through breakfast in unwashed clothes." She stood, and bent down to kiss him on the cheek. "Take care," she whispered. "And good luck."

"Thanks," he murmured, forcing a smile.

As she left the room, Rebecca paused outside his door, and, making sure it was fully closed, muttered to herself, "What a sucker, he actually brought it!" Then walked off snickering to herself.

A/n: Do I need to explain what 'he actually brought'? Sorry, but I have me in mind on a slow day.....if I weren't me and hadn't just written that, then I don't think I'd get it. Although that might just be me......Okay, so for all the people who have suffered enough at school or wherever today and can't be bothered to put their brains into gear, they haven't actually 'done it'.....she just happened to be in his shower with her clothes scattered across his floor....I'm figuring she modified his memory or something so he couldn't remember the previous night. It's all part of her 'master plan'. And I really should get that on the computer before I loose the bit of jotter paper I have the next four to five parts planned out on.....


	18. Default Chapter Title

Part Eighteen

A/n: Well, nothing much has changed with me since I wrote the last part, and I still haven't been able to shake off the urge to write...If only my English teacher knew how capable I was.... since we changed year, I've been feeling very hard done to in English lessons. No longer am I 'Melissa Watt, wrote the gruesome story about the cannibal, can get away with murder in class.' But I am now 'Melissa Watt, came third in the reading and writing tests.' I hate new school years. You have to make impressions all over again. Maybe I should just print off this entire series and leave it lying on my teachers desk. Or not. Okay, enough rambling for today, I think I'm going to stop writing authors notes, I get too sucked in. If anybody really wants to know about my day then it would be easy enough to ask. Yet nobody does. Mainly because my life is boring. Dammit, I'm really going to start the fic now! 

Having spent the day handing out detentions to anyone who dared so much as cough in his lessons and break his chain of thought, Severus Snape would normally be foaming at the mouth.

He had managed to terrify a wide range of pupils, from lowly little first years, to the all too used to it seventh years. He decided that the highlight of the day was making Potter clean slug intestines from the floor. Yet even that failed to lift his spirit.

It was strange how waking up to find and ex girlfriend showering your bathroom could ruin even the brightest of days.

But it had managed to do so very well indeed that day. From the moment he had woken up to find bright sunlight streaming in through his bedroom window, to now, as he sat alone in his dank classroom thinking, he had not been in a good mood.

It would have been enough to have spent the day with the memory of the previous mornings breakfast, when he had suffered the humiliation of a failed attempt to explain away just why he happened to have shared a kiss with his very well developed ex girlfriend. 

But today, he had spent the day wondering just how he was going to explain away the fact he had spent the night with the same ex girlfriend and didn't have a clue why. 

It wasn't as if he had to say anything, Rebecca had already said that she'd keep mum about the subject. But he knew from experience that Rebecca and keeping her mouth shut were two phrases couldn't possibly exist in the same sentence for long. No, he would have to come clean. That was, if Minerva would stay in the room long enough to let him talk. 

He didn't doubt that she wouldn't take the news well, she had already spent the entirety of the previous day pretending he didn't exist over the afformentioned kiss. And now with this on top of it...well, it wasn't exactly hard to work out how she'd react.

For the small portion of the day he hadn't spent shouting or worrying, he had tried to remember ANYTHING about the previous night that he could use in his defense. Only problem was, he couldn't remember the night, let alone anything to help him....

He still wasn't sure why he'd had a sudden lapse of memory, he didn't think he'd been drinking, not that he could remember, but he reasoned with himself that if he'd had enough to drink so as that he couldn't remember an entire evening, then surely he would have a at least the faintest twinge of a hangover. But nothing. Maybe he was going senile. It wouldn't surprise him, the way this week was turning out.

Feeling a twinge of stiffness as he got to his feet slowly, he wondered just how long he'd been sat down there, in the dungeons. Glancing at his watch, and making a makeshift beam of light with his wand so he could read the dial, he made the time to be quarter past nine. He'd been teaching since half nine in the morning, had finished around four, and had been sat there ever since. That was almost twelve hours. No wonder his joints had seized up.

Groaning quietly, and realising that if he put it off any longer then he'd probably never get around to it, and started off begrudgingly towards the room in the East wing of the castle, where, at that moment in time, a rather frustrated Minerva McGonagall was attempting to mark some rather pathetic excuses for homework papers.

So lost in thought was she, that she lost all train of thought for the papers half way through, and gave them all the same grade of C. She thought she was being generous. If anyone had a problem with their mark, she decided she would consider reading it through properly, as of course, only anyone who didn't think they deserved a C would bother complaining. A small smile twitched at her lips. Maybe she should just start grading all papers like that, it would certainly save alot of time.

And time certainly seemed to have been escaping her over the past two days. The previous afternoon, she had lost track of the hours completely, and had spent almost five hours curled up in a small ball at the end of her bed, staring at the same page of a book the whole time. Upon realising the amount of time that had slipped by, she had tried to convince herself that it must have been such a good book, she had needed to spend five hours re reading the same page. But this didn't wash, as, try as she might, she still didn't have a clue what the book was supposed to be about.

Deep down, she knew she had spent the five hours thinking about Severus and Severus alone, not that she was willing to admit this to herself.

But, begrudgingly, she realised that that was all she felt capable of doing. Mainly because she was having alot of doubts about just how right she was to have stormed out of the Great Hall at breakfast the previous day.

For a few short hours following, she had believed that she had done the right thing in doing so, but there was a very small, and very annoying voice in the back of her head, whispering 'what if he wasn't lying?'

It was times like this she hated having a conscience. 

Letting her head drop into her arms at her desk, she closed her eyes, slowly. She hadn't got much sleep the night before, so busy had she been trying to convince herself that she was most definately being lied to, and now she could feel a wave of sleepiness hitting her hard. Wishing she had the energy to drag herself over to her bed, she started to give in to the urge to close her eyes and not open them again until the following morning. Only to have to jerk her head back up suddenly when there was a knock at the door.

She moaned inwardly, and, very unwillingly got to her feet and started to shuffle over to the door.

Groggily, she started to mummer 'what do you want' as she turned the door handle, only to find that her mouth didn't appear to be responding, so, as she pulled the door open, hair about her face, and eyelids half closed, she made a noise that sounded very much like 

"Whdyawnt?" Only to be confronted with the very last person she wanted to see at that moment in time.

"Beg pardon, I didn't quite catch that," he said, manoeuvring himself so that, even if she tried she couldn't close that door on him. Starting to regain the power of speech, she slurred:

"I said, what do you want?"

"To talk," he said quietly, reaching out to touch the side of her face. Much to his surprise, she didn't recoil immediately, but pulled her head away slowly, after his fingertips had brushed her skin for a few lingering seconds.

"Talk away," she shrugged, making no move to let him into the room. She was still fighting the urge to curl up on the floor and sleep, and decided that it would probably be alot quicker to let him say whatever he needed to than trying to make him go away.

"Min," he sighed. "This is stupid. This whole thing was one big mistake after another, and if you'd stop being so stubborn for just a second and actually let yourself believe that I'm telling you the truth, then you'd see that."

"I'm being stubborn?" She yawned.

"Well....." He winced. He hadn't exactly got off to a very good start. "Maybe just a little..."

"So, what you are trying to say is, the very pretty girl you used to date completely threw herself at you, to which you made no response what so ever but to tell her where to get off?" "

' "Well, in a nutshell.... yes." He decided not to mention last night just yet. She sighed, and yawned again. "I'm sorry, am I keeping you up?" he asked lightly.

"Yes, you are as a matter of fact. It may only be just gone nine, but right now, all I feel like doing is curling up and closing my eyes. And you're making that impossible. Perhaps if you'd like to leave and come back sometime when I'm not mad at you....?" She suggested.

"And when will that be? Tomorrow, the day after, next week, next month, next year? Can you give me some idea of the time scale we're talking about?" She paused for several seconds.

"Can you ask again when I'm not sleepy? The sooner you go away, the sooner I can sleep......"

"No," he said abruptly, forcing his way into the room and grasping her tightly by the shoulders. She had no choice but to look at him, when he said, in a voice so earnest she began to have serious doubts:

"Min, I'm not lying to you. I know how much it might seem like otherwise, but if I really was lying to you, do you really think that I would have kept it going for so long?"

"It's only been two days. There's still plenty of time for you to crack." She said doubtfully.

"God, Min, why are you making this so awkward? I really don't know how to get through to you! You won't believe the truth, you get mad at me for telling you the truth, do you want me to get a written testament taken?" She closed her eyes, and stood quite still for several moments. Eventually, she looked up slowly, and mummered quietly:

"I am being stubborn aren't I?"

"Just a little......"

"Okay, see now you're lying to me. I am not being a little stubborn. I'm being incredibly stubborn."

"Does that mean you believe and are willing to forgive me?" She looked at him, a wry smile on her face.

"That depends on how soon you're willing to go away and let me sleep."

"Oh, I wasn't planning on staying long....." She put her arms around his neck, and let her head drop onto his chest.

"I'm sorry I'm a stubborn bitch. I can't help it. Maybe it's medicinal." Holding her in his arms, one hand at the back of her head, the other supporting her back gently, Severus wondered if it would really be nessesary to tell her what had happened the night before. Surely a little white lie wouldn't hurt? After several seconds of deliberation, he realised that, whilst a little white lie might not hurt right now, it could be all too painful if dug up sometime in the future...It was no good. He would have to come clean. Hating himself for getting into this situation in the first place, he very gently pulled apart from her and started to speak.

"Min?" He asked.

"Mmmm?"

"Just how much do you forgive me?" She yawned widely.

"Completely. You didn't actually do anything after all."

"Well, suppose that I did. Then how much would you forgive me?"

"Sev, what're you saying?"

"I'm just being hypothetical," he assured her. "But just suppose I had kissed her. Then how mad would you be with me?"

"Well, a little. But I would have gotten over it after a few days. I think I was actually more upset at the thought of being lied to than the kiss."

"Okay, that's good.....but now suppose that we didn't just kiss, we, well, spent the night together. Then how mad would you be?"

"Sev, why are you doing this? I'm sleepy, I don't wanna think about things like that right now," she moaned, rubbing her eyes.

"Please Min, just answer the question." She looked up at him and met his eyes, surprised at the determination in his voice. Suddenly, she gasped.

"Oh no, Sev, you didn't.....God, please tell me you didn't."

"I'm sorry Min," he said, bowing his head.

"Wha-why-when?" She stuttered.

"Last night. But I don't remember anything."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" She snapped, apparantly not so sleepy now.

"Well, no but-"

"Ugh, I don't believe this, this isn't happening. That's it, I've fallen asleep and this is one big horrible nightmare."

"Afraid not." He winced, as she sat down on the end of her bed, her legs to tired to support her anymore.

"Get out of my nightmare." She said in a shaky voice that still oozed with anger.

"Min, I am so sorry, you wouldn't believe how awful I felt this morning when I woke up."

"I can imagine," She smirked angrily.

"Look, I know there's nothing I can say or do to make any of this go away, but I want you to know that it was all one big mistake and I didn't mean any of it. I mean, I can't even remember it, so it couldn't have been that good!"

"I don't bloody care whether you can remember it or not! It's not like I want to know any of the details!"

"I know but-"

"I-I really, don't want to talk to you right now." Her voice was now shaky and weak, and she'd gone rather pale. She seemed to have run out of steam through tiredness.

"I know that you're angry right now-"

"Too right I am!"

"But you're tired-"

"No I'm not!" She blinked furiously, as her eyes tried to defy her and started to close.

"Maybe I should come back in the morning-"

"You needn't bother! I don't want to talk to you then either!"

"Look, j-just get some sleep okay?"

"I don't want to sleep." She protested furiously. "I want you to go away. Now!"

"Okay, okay," he sighed giving in. He started to walk towards the door, his head hanging low. His hand on the handle, he paused, turned around, and said quietly: "I never meant to hurt you Min." She sniffed, refusing to look at him.

"Yeah well, you did." She took a couple of deep breaths, trying to steady her voice. "Maybe, maybe we should just call it a day."

"Wh-no! Min, please, I know you're feeling angry and hurt, and what ever else right now, but just give yourself chance to cool down, please!"

"But-" She swallowed furiously. "But I don't want to have to cool down. I don't want to have to be having this conversation. I just want you to go away so I can forget that anything ever happened between us, and just go to sleep." Her voice cracked uncontrolably as she forced out the last few words, and turned her back to him completely so he couldn't see the tears running down her face. But as he watched her shoulders shake, he knew she was sobbing, and hated himself more than he ever had for doing that to her. Maybe she was right. Maybe he should just leave and try and erase the last few months from his memory. She seemed to think it was best and, stood as he was know, watching her trying to control the tears coarsing down her cheaks, he knew. Of course she was right. After all, when had Minerva McGonagall ever been wrong?


	19. Default Chapter Title

Part Nineteen

A/n: I've made my New Years resolution early this year. Or late, depending on how you look at it. But any which way, I'm going to write much shorter authors notes and I need you to help me to stick to it!

Two days had passed. It was amazing how a mere forty eight hours could drag on for years. And if anyone could testify just how long two days could last, Severus Snape could.

For he had just spent a miserable two days alone in the dungeons of Hogwarts, save a few classes. But he had no need to venture further than his classroom, his office, or his bedroom. He had had a few meals brought to him by an overcheerful house elf, who had disappeared to bang his head against a wall after Snape had barked at it to stop being happy. 

But all in all, he was beginning to wonder what so so amazing about the rest of the castle anyway. The dungeons were much quieter, much more empty. The rest of the castle was always full of students tearing around, chasing each other down corridors and shouting loudly. Down in the dungeons there was nothingness. And there was nothing like being alone to make you appreciate nothingness. It gave him alot more time to forget how miserable he was.

Instead, he concentrated on anger. Nothing was fair. Nothing was his fault either, at least, he was pretending that nothing was, as he still couldn't remember even the minutest of detail about the night he had spent with Rebecca, to find her showering in his bathroom the next morning. But still, in his mind, nothing was his fault.

As the hours of emptiness had passed, the darkness drawing ever closer by the second, he had become more angry, with everyone and everything. He spent a few hours watching a damp spot spread across a wall, wallowing in self pity. But he had never been a big fan of self pity, so gave up after a short time and went back to being angry.

He liked being angry. It meant he could blame anyone except himself for ruining whatever it was he had had with Minerva. As hard as he tried, he couldn't bring himself to actually be angry with Rebecca. Which was strange, as, thinking about everything rationally, he had previously come to the decision that it was all her fault. But the minute he had started to be angry with her, he remembered how upset she had got when he had woken up that morning and gotten angry with her. 

He had remembered how she had claimed that, at the time, she had thought herself to be doing only what he wanted. And that would have meant that whatever had happened had, more likely than not, been initiated by him. And he refused to accept that anything was his fault, so his discounted that immediatly.

As one day had turned to the next, and he had lain awake in bed, unable to sleep, he had found himself starting to blame, strangely enough, Minerva herself.

She had refused to listen to him, didn't care that he couldn't even remember why or what had happened. She had just been angry and upset. Whilst in the beginning, it had upset him to remember how she had broken down, now it merely provided fuel for his anger. If she would only listen...hadn't even bothered to cross her mind that he might be geniunly sorry about what had happened, that he might actually not have wanted it all...just thinking about it made his blood boil.

And it seemed that Severus wasn't the only one blaming Minerva for what had happened. For she herself had just spent an even more miserable (if that was possible) two days than Severus, doing nothing but blaming herself.

After getting over her initial anger, she had started to turn on herself. She wondered if there was anything she should have done differently, wondered if things would have turned out the same if she hadn't have been so unreasonable over the whole 'kissing situation'. And most of all, she wondered if she had been too hasty in ending whatever the hell it was that they had had.

Sure she had been angry at the time. She still was, but not with him now. Well, not much. But it was remarkable just how much self loathing could make you miss a person...

She had spent two days hiding her bloodshot and black lidded eyes with various charms, wanting nothing more than a hug and a good nights sleep. But sleep was impossible. The minute her eyelids started to close, the same image popped up infront of her eyes: Severus, stood by her door, as she started to sob and told him to go away and not bother coming back. It was a haunting image, and most definatly one which drove away sleep.

It seemed that, forty eight hours after breaking up, the only person involved in the situation who was in the least bit happy, was Rebecca. Infact, she had spent the past two days silently congratulating herself, and resisting the urge to jump up and down. All she had had to do was throw some clothes around Sev's room and jump into his shower and, she had him all to herself. Not that she was quite done yet....she wouldn't be finished until she had Minerva McGonagall out of the picture permanently, but she could wait a little while before getting started on that one...

Deciding that he had spent forty eight hours too many in solitude, at the present moment in time she was busy picking her way through one of Hogwarts many winding corridors, on the way down to the dungeons. 

The large wooden door that was rotting with age creaked loudly as usual as she pushed it open with her shoulder. Jumping down the steps two at a time, she started to sing under her breath, and near skipped through the cold rooms, until she found the one that Severus was occupying.

Upon hearing someone in the doorway, he looked up hopefully, realised who it was, and looked down again, disappointedly.

"Come on sweetie," she clucked, walking over and putting her arms around his waist, resting her head on his back. "Cheer up."

"Cheer up?" He said in a way which implied he had forgotten the meanings of the words. "How?"

"Get some sunshine," she had tutted. "You'll waste away down here by yourself. Besides, you can't hide forever. Someone'll notice something soon, and then they'll start asking questions. Then you'll end up even more miserable, and you're just no fun when you're miserable!"

"Well sorry." He snapped, in a tone that didn't sound in the least bit so. "Believe me, if it were up to me, I wouldn't be miserable now." He sighed, a long a drawn out sigh, then started again. "How did this all happen in the first place Becca?" He asked, in wonderment. "I mean, how the hell did I end up caring so deeply about **Minerva McGonagall** that I would want to spend two days alone in a dungeon when I found out she didn't want to see me any more?"

"Don't ask me chicken," she had sighed, walking around so she could see his face. She cupped his cheek lightly with her hand and pecked him in a friendly manner on the lips. "I don't think I'll ever understand that one. And if you don't know the answer, then I sure as hell don't." He wrapped his arms around her waist protectivly, and lent his head on her shoulder.

"Nothing makes sense any more," he moaned. "Nothing."

"Well hey, I'm here if you need me!" She smiled brightly.

"Thanks Becca." He had said sincerly.

"Oh, and hey, I'm sorry if this is all somehow my fault, cus, you know, this all seemed to happen after I showed up and-"

"It's not your fault Becca. Don't think that. Please." He had tightened his grasp on her waist, and she was sure he was trying to fight the urge to cry. She wondered if she should be feeling guilty.....however that felt....

"Well love, I'd better be going, I think I'm meant to be taking a class in a few minutes and I need to prepare," she chirped, removing herself from his arms. "Take care, and the minute you realise that locking yourself away down here is both pointless and unhealthy, then you come and see me!"

"I will Becca. And thanks again." She smiled warmly.

"My pleasure. See you later sweetie!" 

It happened to be an unfortunate coincidence that, at the moment Rebecca left the dungeons and starting heading towards her classroom, she ran straight into an almost asleep on her feet, Minerva McGonagall.

"Well," Rebecca sneered. "I'm surprised you've got the nerve to show your face right now."

"Me?" Minerva raised her eyebrows, self loathing and sleepiness receeding quickly. 

"Yeah you! You have no idea what you've done to him!"

"He brought it all onto himself!" She snapped, wishing she believed her words. "Besides, you're more at fault than I am!"

"Really?" Rebecca raised an eyebrow casually, trying not to get worked up.

"Yes!"

"I didn't do anything he didn't want me to honey. You can't blame me for that, surely? Afterall, it's not my problem is it, that you were unable to, ah, 'fullfill all his needs' shall we say?"

"Take that back now," she almost growled, in a tone of voice that was not to be messed with.

"Why? It's the truth afterall. Face it honey, you just weren't good enough." The words were barely out of her mouth, when she felt a sudden sharp pain at the side of her face. Gasping, she exclaimed indignantly: "Did you just slap me?"

Minerva just stood, glaring at her, but before she had time to realise that slapping her probably wasn't the best of moves, she felt hands on her sholders, and her body jolted in shock as she was slammed up against the corridor wall.

"Listen sweetie, don't mess with me okay? I don't fuck around. Wouldn't want to get hurt now would y-" She couldn't complete the sentance, but then, who could when they'd just been kneed hard in the stomach? "Oh, that is it!" she exclaimed, arms folded over her stomach, eyes glittering with malice. "I tried to warn you!" She lunged forward, knocking her opponent to the floor, though not before Minerva had time to grab a handfull of her hair and pull her down with her.

"Let go!" she screamed, contacting her long and well manicured nails with Minerva's face and scratching hard enough to draw blood. "Let go of my hair you bitch!" Minerva let go, but not before kicking her hard enough to send her sprawling half way across the corridor. 

Both women started to get to their feet, but unfortunatly for Minerva, Rebecca was faster; and the minute she was up, she was back across the corridor, aiming several hard kicks at Minerva's stomach. She didn't have the upper hand for long however, for, after the second kick, Minerva had grabbed her calves and pulled her back to the floor.

"You bloody cow, let go of me now!" Rebecca shrieked, lashing out once more with her nails.

"Slut!" Minerva screamed, in an attempt to tear out the other woman's eyes. They went on like that for what felt like an eternity, both women trying to inflict as much damage as was possible on the other, both seeming to forget that they were witches and there were more effective ways of dealing with each other. 

It got to the point where Minerva's vision was clouded with blood pouring from a small gash at her temple and Rebecca was having trouble breathing properly, when two pairs of strong hands pulled them away from each other and firmly to their feet. That was all Minerva remembered before she blacked out.

A/n: Okay, can I please apologise for that now? I know Minerva would never do anything like that, and that definately wasn't the way I was planning on ending this part, but it got to the stage where I felt Rebecca was in desperate need of being given a good smack round the face, and seeing as she isn't real, I couldn't do it, so.....


	20. Default Chapter Title

Part Twenty

A/n: Again, my deepest apologies for the ending of the last part. But tell me honestly, if you were Minerva, would you not be wanting to gouge Rebecca's eyes out? Also, I'm a little behind at the moment, I was planning on having this part and the next two out before Christmas, but I don't see that happening somehow. So expect the next part around Christmas and the one after (which could well be the last part of the whole series) at New Year. 

As she opened her eyes and sat up groggily, it took a few moments for the events that had taken place the last time she was conscious to flood back to Minerva. Rubbing her eyes and groaning inwardly, she realised that she was lying atop her own bed, and she wasn't alone in the room.

"Remus?" she moaned. "What're you doing here?"

"Oh so you're awake now?" He grinned in a friendly manner, and sat down on the end of her bed. "I was beginning to think you'd never come to."

"Ugh, well I have, and I really wish I hadn't. God, I must look a mess..." A brief glance at his face confirmed this.

"Well...you should have seen Rebecca. You gave as good as you got, that's all I can say."

"Good." She muttered angrily, getting shakily to her feet. Stumbling into the bathroom and supporting herself by leaning heavily on the sink, she surveyed the damage that had been done to her face. There was a large gash above her right eyebrow, and a trail of dried crimson blood down her cheek. Her bottom lip had swollen up considerably, and the area around her eyes was covered in scratches.

Remus appeared in the doorway, and she fell into his arms, relying on him to lead her back into her room. He did just this, and didn't remove his arms from her waist until she was sat on the end of her bed.

"Do you mind if I ask why you're here? Or why I'm here?" She enquired, wondering for the first time just how she had ended up in her room.

"Well you are here because Rebecca was taken up to the hospital wing, and we hardly thought it wise to leave you both there....and I am here because I'm under strict instructions from Poppy not to leave your side until I know you're fine."

"Ugh, well I'm not. My face aches, I can't walk, and there's no way I'm going down to dinner looking like this." 

"It's a good job you don't have to then, isn't it? A house elf will bring dinner up to you when you're hungry, and I can fix your face for you."

"Really? How?" Not that she really cared. As long as the feeling that her eyes were about to fall out went away, whatever he did was fine by her.

"Poppy gave me this," he told her, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a vial of yellow liquid. "Do you have any cotton wool?"

"Bathroom, cabinet, second shelf down," she muttered, realising how hard it was to talk with a lip that was twice its normal size. He disappeared into her bathroom, and, after a couple of minutes of rummaging, he reappeared with cotton wool. Sitting down next to her, he poured a little of the yellow liquid to a circle of cotton wool, and told her to sit still. Obediently she did so, until he held the pad to her left eye, and she jumped back, almost falling off the end of the bed.

"Ow!" she exclaimed. "You didn't say it was going to sting!"

"Sorry!" He said, raising his hands for peace. "Would you like a sticker when we're finished for being a big brave girl?"

"Don't ridicule me," she growled, sitting begrudgingly back down.

"I promise I'll stop ridiculing you when you don't look quite so much like you were hit by a train." He laughed, pushing the stinging pad back towards her face.

Ten minutes later, when her face looked normal once more, although felt as if it had just been stung by several hundred bees, Minerva started to wonder just what had gone on once she had lost conciousness. It seemed that Remus was just as eager to know what had gone on BEFORE she had lost conciousness though, and seemed that he was going to require answers to his questions before giving any to hers.

"So, care to tell me just what the hell went on earlier?"

"What did it look like?" She asked, sarcasticly.

"It LOOKED like you were bitch fighting in the corridors with a woman who turned up at Hogwarts less than a week ago in an attempt to murder each other, but I'm sure I must be mistaken."

"Not really," she tossed at him casually. "Pity you turned up really."

"Okay, now I need an explanation."

"Why?"

"Because this is not normal! You are not Minerva McGonagall!"

"Really? I was sure I was when I got up this morning....."

"Yes, well the Minerva McGonagall I knew did NOT start bitch fights in the corridors and admit to wanting to kill a woman she barely knew!"

"Maybe we knew different Minerva McGonagall's."

"Maybe. Would this one care to share her motives with me?"

"No she would not, but she rather gets the feeling that she's going to have to."

"I see that this Minerva McGonagall is a sharp as the last one at least......"

"Oh goody." She rolled her eyes. "You really wanna know?"

"Please!"

"The woman is a manipulative slut." He raised an eyebrow. "She slept with Severus." The other eyebrow shot up to meet the first. "She provoked me." He shook his head and laughed under his breath.

"What's so funny?"

"The fact you sounded so much like a six year old just dragged in off the playground."

"I do not!"

"Yeah, you're right. Most six year olds don't know what 'provoked' means...." He paused, and realised that there was a decidedly murderous glint in her eyes. "Anyway! Moving swiftly on! That wasn't actually her story."

"And her story was?" She asked, disinterestedly.

"That you're a lunatic who attacked her for no reason...I wonder which story is more believable?"

"Ugh, don't joke around, I'm not in the mood."

"You have to admit, this is kind of funny..."

"What's funny about it? Please explain, I think I'm missing the humorous side of all this."

"Well...okay, maybe it isn't all that funny. So how'd you know she slept with him?"

"He told me."

"Hmm, usually a pretty big clue.....You okay?"

"Do I look okay?"

"You look tired...a definite improvement on the whole 'just been hit by a train' look, but still not too good..."

"That's just how I feel."

"I've got to ask, did trying to tear her eyeballs out make you feel better at all?"

"Not really. I did actually feel pretty triumphant before I passed out, but, seeing as how I still "'feel"' as if I've been hit by a train, even if I don't look it, then, no."

"You want me to go away so you can get some sleep?"

"It'd be nice, but I don't thing I could get to sleep right now." He smiled, and produced another small vial of liquid, this time orange.

"Sleeping syrum. A couple of drops in a glass of water and you'll be out for hours." She smiled a relieved smile.

"Thank you."

"Pleasure. Sleep well."

"I'll try," she said, tipping a couple of drops of the syrum into a cup of water. She was asleep before he'd left the room. "

'Up in the hospital ward however, there was no sleeping going on. Alot of fuming and cursing, but no sleeping. Rebecca was too angry to sleep. Besides, she wasn't the one who had spent the past two days tossing and turning, wishing that tears would stop forming behind her eyelids. Also, she was awaiting company. She had managed to attract the attention of a passing student once Madame Pomfrey had left her alone for a few moments, and had sent him to Severus with the simple request to go up to the hospital wing. When the small boy had heard who she wanted him to pass the message onto, he had gone rather pale and shaky, but she had winked at him and thrown in a box of chocolate frogs for good measure. At box of chocolate frogs that had been confiscated the moment he set foot in the dungeon, but a box of chocolate frogs none the less.

Severus had been incredibly annoyed upon having his miserable train of thought interrupted, but had begrudgingly left the dungeons for the first time in two days and walked slowly up to the hospital wing.

As he swung open the large door, the first thing her saw was Rebecca, propped up in bed like an invalid, he face covered in small scratches which had yet to be vanished away.

"What the hell have you done this time?" he sighed, getting over his initial shock.

"This time? You seem to be implying something there darling..."

"Forget it," he muttered, shaking his head. "So, care to tell me what the hell happened to you?"

"I was attacked."

"By who exactly?"

"A lunatic."

"A lunatic," he mumbled faintly. "You know, I could have sworn they stopped admitting them into Hogwarts..."

"Not funny."

"I know. So, really, who attacked you?"

"Minerva McGonagall." He paused before saying anything, fighting of an urge to laugh, at the ridiculousness of this statement. Eventually, he just turned to her, a sceptical look plastered to his face.

"Really?"

"Yup. I'm telling you, she's not sane."

"It wouldn't have anything to do with anything that you possibly said to her now would it?"

"Said to her? I didn't have a chance! She threw herself at me!" He sighed.

"Maybe there's a slim chance that other people are "'possibly"' going to buy that. But I know you Becca. And, before you turned up, I was starting to get to know her. And now I want to know what really went on." There was no note accusation in his voice, if anything he was teasing her.

"I "'am "' telling the truth," she pouted. "Don't you believe me?"

"Sorry," he said, raising his hands in self-defence. "But I think I'm going to need a bit more convincing."

"Well I'm not in the mood." She glared at him. "I don't have to defend myself to you or anyone. Go away."

"You want me to come back later when you've finished sulking?"

"Yes please," she said in a small voice, and watched him walk from the room, shaking his head in disbelief.

As he closed the door behind him, he paused for a moment, as the reality of the conversation that had just taken place started to sink in. As he started back towards the dungeons, he couldn't help feeling very disturbed.

Meanwhile, back inside the hospital wing, Rebecca had realised that she was completely alone for the first time, and had seized the opportunity. She had scooped up a rather thick book from under the bed, which she had been carrying around with her for the majority of the day, and was now leafing through the gilted pages. After a while, she paused, and scanned the page she was at several times. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily, as if weighing something over in her mind. After a long while, she opened her eyes, and ran them once more down the page. She took in a deep breath, let it out a again, and slowly murmured the words:

"Inantum, desendum, envaporendum."

It was done. 


	21. Default Chapter Title

Part Twenty One

A/n: Well, here it is. The part you've all been waiting for (or not) and the end. Possibly. I probably should have mentioned that before, infact, I'm fairly sure I have, but after this part, that's it. Maybe. I have yet to make up my mind. One thing's for sure, I intend to take a long break. Not too long though, but long enough for me to get back into the habit of sleeping properly. When I told my friend Laura (hi Lozzy!) I was intending to finish this here, her immediate response was "What, no babies/marriage/snogs?" It took me a few minutes to realise that she probably didn't mean in that order. But...I know that if I put an end to this here I would be leaving alot of issues untackled. I can't say I actually want to tackle them, I rather get the feeling it would be awkward...but after just over six months, I've grown rather attached to this story. I don't want to have to say goodbye forever. So I'm not going to. Instead, I'm going to say, go read the fic, and e-mail me ANY idea's you may have that I could use as plot lines at [melissa.watt@btinternet.com][1]. And then, when I've got over Christmas and I have slipped back to being an insomniac, I may be very tempted to flip open the lid to my word processor and see what I can come up with...but until then, read, and enjoy!

'Twas New Years eve, although, in Minerva McGonagall's case, it could have been any other night of the year. The only reason tonight was different from all other nights, was because it said so on the desk calendar sat atop her desk.

If it had not said so on the calendar, she wouldn't even have noticed the passing of Christmas, but then, she never normally celebrated Christmas anyway.

As of late though, she hadn't felt much like doing anything. It would have made her immensely happy if people would allow her to spend the days in bed, perhaps with a magic-powered television and some mind rotting muggle soap operas. People were so damn annoying though; they refused to leave her alone. She would have been quite content to spend Christmas day by herself, but Albus was having none of it, and she found herself forced down into the Great Hall to pretend to be having a good time, pulling the occasional cracker half heatedly.

The truth was though, it was all pretend. She just hadn't been able to muster any enthusiasm for the past few weeks. Almost everyone had cleared off for Christmas, but if she was quite truthful, she hadn't even noticed the castle was nearly empty until a few days after the end of term. 

In the rare moments when she felt half human, she knew what was wrong with her, but could never quite grasp onto **why**. She was depressed. Uncontrollably depressed. To the extent that she felt as if the depression was knawing away at her insides, because it was always there, never ceasing, to the point where she wanted to lay down and spend the day sobbing into her pillow.

But why was a mystery.

For a while, when she had first started feeling that way, she had put it down to her recent break up with Severus. But after a week or so, she knew it couldn't be that. Not on its own. Undoubtedly it must have played a role, but she knew deep down that she would never allow herself to become that depressed over a man. She was far too sensible for that. 

Sometimes she feared that she was growing insane; afterall, who had ever heard of someone suffering from uncontrollable depression with no reason? Had she felt halfway normal, she would have known that there are many people that feel this way, but she was too caught up in her self loathing to acknowledge facts like this, and the feeling that she was the only one didn't aid her plight at all.

But she wasn't the only one feeling strange as of late. As, for the past few weeks, though he would never acknowledge that something didn't feel right, Severus had undergone some rather dramatic changes.

First of all, he had stopped being depressed. After spending forty-eight solid hours alone in the dungeons, he had suddenly changed his mind about the way he was seeing things. After a short while of wondering if he was going about things in completely the wrong way, he had realised that, without a doubt, he was.

When he had started to reason with himself, his previous behaviour made little sense. Forty-eight miserable hours spent in mourning for the loss of...Minerva McGonagall? It made as much sense to him as it did to Rebecca, who's companionship had proved to be invaluable as of late.

During his change of heart, he had taken up her offer of being there if he needed someone to talk to, and she had helped him see things clearly, in a way that made him sit up and blink.

Had he really just spent almost three months growing closer and closer to Minerva McGonagall? It appeared so. And it had started to puzzle him more and more as to what he had ever seen in her.

He hadn't actually seen that much of her since they had broken up. But from having to spend each and every mealtime sat next to her in the Great Hall, he had gathered that she was more or less a mess. Meal times had become as silent as they used to be, before whatever it was that had drawn them closer together had turned up. And she had stopped smiling again. For a very brief period of time, he had been able to coax a smile out of her on the odd occasion. A few times he had even convinced her to let her hair down. But now everything was back to the way it had been before, and, without realising it, he had stopped caring.

Over the few short weeks they had been separated, his eyes had been opened again, he had realised the ridiculousness of the situation, and any depressed feelings he may have had towards there break up had been quashed.

Throughout this, he rather felt that Rebecca had been the driving force behind him, encouraging him every step of the way. And in a matter of days, he had found solace in her arms, in her kisses, and, before he even realised what was happening, he felt like his old self again.

********

Whilst most of the castle was absent for the Christmas break, New Year's eve at Hogwarts was normally a quiet engagement. Remaining pupils normally stayed together in their houses, permitted to make as much noise as they felt they needed to, with their only rule to have a good time. And even the remaining staff usually found somewhere to go. 

But Minerva had never felt the need to do anything out of the ordinary over the Christmas holidays. Even before her sudden bout of depression, Christmas and the New Year had never stood out that much from the rest of the year. She opted to stay at Hogwarts, where it was remotely peaceful, rather than to join the rabble that was the rest of the world.

She had no real family, save a grandmother in Scotland and an aunt somewhere in America. Her mother had died a long time ago, and she had never known her father. She had no siblings, and had grown up a much quieter person for it. 

Her aunt wasn't someone she liked to spend prolonged amounts of time with. She had been left in her care after her mother's sudden death when she was thirteen, and wouldn't exactly class the time they spent together as the happier years of her life. Her aunt had done the best she could, but, having no children of her own, had never really understood the attention that teenagers need. 

She had often been away, her career as a garish romance novelist meaning she had to make alot of trips to foreign places for promotional events. Minerva knew that she had tried her hardest, and also knew that she regretted the fact she had never really had enough time to take care of her then young niece properly. She knew this because, during the times they now spent together, rare as they were, she would find herself being showered with expensive gifts that were of no use to her what so ever. 

But she would smile politely anyway, and make some excuse or another to escape (five minutes in the company of her aunt was enough to leave her feeling queasy). And then afterwards, she would sell whatever it was she had obtained from her aunt during "'this"' visit in the muggle world, and give the ridiculous some to some charity or another. 

And then there was her grandmother. Aged one hundred and still going strong by anybody's measure, she was by far the most extraordinary person Minerva had ever had the pleasure to meet. 

She lived in Dunfermline in Scotland, and made regular trips to Loch Ness. Not to try and spot the monster, as everybody except the damned tourists knew she was real, but to dive down below the shore in her animagus state of a dolphin and communicate directly with her.

Apparently her grandmother and Nessie were great friends, and although she had tried to introduce Minerva to her on numerous occasions, there was something about the prospect of diving below the banks of Loch Ness that had always seemed incredibly unappealing to her.

And as well as having Nessie as one of her closest friends, her grandmother had the ability to play the best game of poker anyone had ever come across before. How she did it no one knew. But somehow or another, it transpired that she never lost a game. 

One rich lord had once challenged her to an all or nothing game, within five minutes; she had won herself a cosy little castle in the highest peaks of Scotland. After a year of living there, she had moved back into her cottage in Dunfermline, handing the castle to Minerva as a birthday present; apparently the lack of any form of life, including ghosts, had been a terrible downside and she had missed the bustle of Dunfermline far to much.

And as much as she adored her grandmother, Minerva always declined her offers of spending Christmas with her, for the fear of interrupting her busy schedule, for she was the most sociable creature she had ever met.

And she had friends of course, despite what people may have thought. She couldn't help but make friends when she was growing up, although sometimes she had wished she hadn't...Her closest two female friends now worked as aurors for the ministry, although apparently it wasn't a job that paid well, despite what people were led to believe. Taking pity on the way their personal and financial lives were in tatters, she had allowed them to move into the castle she had been handed by her grandmother, although she had long since suspected they had ulterior motives for wanting to live so far away from the rest of society. They had always preferred each others company to that of men...And so she chose not to spend the holidays with them either, not wanting to intrude on celebrations that they should be spending together by right.

And it was for all these reasons that nobody found it odd this particular year when all their invitations of places to stay during the holidays were flatly turned down. Minerva was never the most sociable of people, so it came as no great surprise to anyone when she declined. And this only served to add to her misery. No one had noticed her fragile mental state. She was growing to believe no one cared.

**********

It therefore came as quite a shock when, at around half seven, New Years eve, there came a soft tapping on her chamber door. She hadn't been expecting anyone. And, to be quite frank, she really didn't want to see anyone.

But, like it or not, someone was stood outside her chamber, and she was going to have to let them in. However, before she could even start to swing her legs over the side of her bed, the door creaked open slowly, and the over cheerful figure of Remus Lupine entered the room.

Dismayed, for surely now she was going to have to make conversation and pretend to be fine, she sank back onto her bed once more.

"Well, nice to see I'm welcome!" He smiled, sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"What do you want? Why are you here, it's New Years eve, don't you have a party to go to or something?"

"A party? I believe parties are a form of celebration are they not? And I really don't believe this country has all that much to celebrate at the moment..."

He spoke with a reference to the muggle world as well as the magical, and she had to admit she agreed with him.

"Well, maybe so, but again, why are you here?"

"I had nothing better to do."

"Thanks." He had only been teasing her, but was slightly worried by the dejected tone in her voice.

"Hey, come on, what's wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong." She tried to appear cold, hoping he would take the hint and leave her be. Unfortunately, he didn't appear to want to go anywhere.

"You say that but you haven't been yourself recently. I've noticed you know, I think everyone has and-"

"And?" She snapped. "What's it to you what's wrong? And what business have you coming in here and telling me that I haven't been myself as of late?"

"None what so ever, but I couldn't help worrying about you."

"Well don't worry about me. Leave me alone, I'm perfectly fine." She was lying through her teeth and he could tell.

"Minerva, please don't lie to me," he spoke quietly, but there was an edge to his voice that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. "I know that something is not right, and I just want to help. Don't turn me away."

"How dare you! You barge in here, quite uninvited, tell me that something is wrong with me, then talk to me so patronisingly it's as if I were a child!"

"With one minor difference."

"And that would be?"

"When something is wrong, children cry. When they're happy they smile. It's only as they grow they try to conceal their emotions. There would be no need to patronise a child, as a child would come straight out and tell you what was wrong." She was now seething with anger, and he could tell.

"Just get out! Go away! I don't want to talk to you or anyone and, and-" She gasped for breath as tears started cascading down her cheeks suddenly. She wrapped her arms around her knees and let her head rest upon them; rocking gently and sobbing in such a way it was heart wrenching.

Completely out of instinct, Remus reached out to her and wrapped his arms around her body. He pulled her close to him and sat quite still as she sobbed into his shoulder.

They sat like that for a long time. When she eventually started to calm down, Remus wondered vaguely just how much time had passed.

"Minerva," he whispered, still holding her close. "Please, just tell me what's wrong." She sniffed and rubbed at her eyes, furious with herself. She pulled away from his grasp, but made no attempt to get up from the bed, for one thing she didn't think she had the energy. "I wish I could," she started gently, her voice strained and tired. "But I really don't know. It's just lately, I've felt so...depressed. And miserable. Like I wish everyone would just go away and leave me alone. Sometimes I just curl up and cry for hours without reason, and when I stop I still feel as miserable as when I started. But I can't help it. It's like there's something inside of me, something that wants to suck away all the happiness from my life and leave me empty. Remus, I have never visited Azkaban, nor do I wish to, but I think lately I have been feeling similar to those imprisoned there with the dementors. And I have no reason for it!" She swallowed heavily. "I just feel so tired and miserable all the time. I've been thinking dangerous thoughts recently. Thoughts that scare me but that wont go away. Like what it would be like if I woke up one day and decided I didn't want to live to see the next. And it's always there, always!" She fought hard to stop the tears spilling down her cheeks once more, but he pulled her close anyway.

"Hush," he whispered. "Hush now. Minerva, how long have you been feeling like this?"

"Weeks," she moaned. "I think it started around a week after Severus revealed to me his unfaithfulness."

"So, around the time of your little cat fight with Rebecca?" He asked, his mind starting to race."

'"Probably, maybe a few days after, not long though."

"Right," he muttered thoughtfully, chewing his lower lip. Something didn't add up. He had spoken with Minerva immediately after her fight with Rebecca, and although she had been tired, and a little upset, she had been in good spirits also, and able to laugh at the ridiculousness of everything that had happened. She certainly hadn't been suicidal.

"Minerva, do you know anything of the way Severus has been behaving recently?" he asked, still thoughtful.

"I don't know really. We don't speak. I think that very possibly he may be sleeping with Rebecca again, but, if you don't mind, I don't want to dwell on it." She tried to force a tiny smile, but failed.

He tried to collect his thoughts. It was pretty clear that Severus and Rebecca definitely had something going on, anyone could see that, but he didn't want to say any more on the subject, at least, not infront of Minerva.

He hadn't thought anything strange about their reunion prior to now, but as he thought further on it, he began to wonder just why it had come about. Snape had definitely reverted to his previous self 100%. No one had noticed at the time, but while he had been with Minerva, he had definitely changed slightly, although it was very hard to see. But now, now it was as if nothing had ever happened. As if he had forgotten completely whatever it was that had forced them into each other's arms. And Minerva seemed almost a different woman. In a matter of weeks, she had become a mere shell of her former self, and it had happened so quickly that no one had noticed it.

Something was definitely not right.

And then it clicked. Everything suddenly seemed to fit into place; everything made sense, like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that suddenly slotted together. And there was only one question left in his mind. Was Rebecca Thomlinson really capable of the crime he was almost positive she had committed?

He didn't want to leave it to chance. Very gently, he prised Minerva out of his arms, and laid her down atop her bed.

"Where're you going?" she mummered disinterestedly.

"I have to go and see Dumbledore about something. Stay here."

"Well I wasn't planning on going anywhere. You're going to tell him I'm cracked up aren't you?"

"No, of course not, because you're not cracked up, but I do have to talk to him about you-"

"-So you want to talk about me not to me?" She demanded. "Look, Remus, if you think I'm insane just come out with it. I can take it."

"No, Minerva it's not that at all. Listen, the thing is, I think I know what's happened to you and-"

"-And instead of telling me you're going to go right over my head and go straight to Albus instead?" He sighed gently, and sat back down for he had previously gotten to his feet.

"No, of course not, you have a right to know. But listen, you have to understand I'm putting two and two together and it's very possible I've made five. From where I am it seems to make four, but I could be wrong and I need to get it checked."

"Remus?"

"Yes?"

"Please stop talking about arithmancy and tell me what's wrong with me." He paused for a long time.

"Alright. But I could be wrong."

"I don't care. Out with it."

"I think that you're under the effects of a Bewitchment charm. You and Severus." Before she could comment, he went on. "And I think it was Rebecca that performed the spell. It's one that's quite often used by 'the other woman' if you like, but the usage of it is strictly illegal because of the devastating effects."

"What are they? I'm sure I've heard of it, but everything seems so foggy..."

"That's okay, it's bound to. You see, if I'm right, if there has been a Bewitchment charm used, Severus won't remember anything but bad of the time he spent with you. And you, you will..." His voice faltered.

"I will what?"

"Wither away into nothing. The only known way to break the spell is death. Namely, your death." She stared up at the ceiling as if he'd just told her nothing more than the weather outside.

"Then here is no hope." She whispered softly, and he could see pain in her eyes.

"Don't say that. There is always hope."

"Then why don't you hope? Why don't you run along to Dumbledore and be hopeful there, and leave me in peace to accept things?"

"I will do. And I won't give up hope. And neither should you, but I fear you already have."

"Aye, you're right there at least."

"Maybe you should try and sleep," he suggested as he left the room, but they both knew that was impossible.

*********

In the space of a few short minutes, Remus had rushed down to the corridor, along which Dumbledore's office was situated, pausing only briefly to mutter "Chocolate frogs" in the direction of the stone gargoyles.

Hurrying along, he saw a slat of light coming from under the door to Dumbledore's office, and he pushed the door open, relieved.

As he entered, Dumbledore looked up from his desk, and placed his quill down next to the roll of parchment he had been writing on.

"Albus," Remus started, sinking into a chair in relief. "I was worried you may be out celebrating the New Year."

"Celebrating? I don't believe this country has much to celebrate at the moment, do you? And besides, Misters Fred and George Weasley are promising a display of Fillibuster Fireworks at midnight, not something I care to miss." Remus would have laughed, but the matter he had to discuss was too urgent, and Dumbledore sensed this.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Yes, but, I'm not sure where to start."

"The beginning is usually the best place I think you'll find, take your time."

"You see, the thing is, well, it's-"

"Spit it out!" He smiled kindly, urging Remus on.

"Mainly, it's about Rebecca and-"

"-Am I to assume we are talking about my ancient runes professor, or one of the students?"

"The first one, definitely."

"And what has she done that has got you worked up into such a state you can barely talk?"

"Well, I'll get to that in a minute, but first, when you hired her, did you find anything unusual about her?"

"Unusual? How do you mean?"

"I don't know, sinister?"

"Ah." Dumbledore paused, a look of understanding on his face. "I see you have found out about her background when she was abiding in Poland." The completely blank look on Remus's face told him this was not true. "Oh, well then-"

"What happened in Poland?"

"Well I suppose you have a right to know. While she was living there, she told alot of lies to alot of important people, and made alot of money from it. She was very nearly responsible for the deaths of thousands of dragons as I am to believe."

"And you still hired her?"

"I try not to hold things against the people I hire Remus. She told me she wanted to make a fresh start. I can't say I completely believed her, but I felt that, once given chance to settle in, she may actually do just that. I taught her once, infact, wasn't she in school around the same time as yourself? A year below perhaps?" Now that he thought about it, he remembered her, vaguely.

"Yes, I think she was..."

"Did she ever do anything 'sinister' to make you remember her? Or was it that she was just like everyone else, which is why you didn't realise that you were indeed a year apart at Hogwarts until now?"

"Well it wasn't as if I knew her then, and trust me, I'm not judging, but I think she's done something, and if she has then I don't think she'll have the chance of any more fresh starts." Dumbledore frowned, a little puzzled perhaps.

"Care to share it with me?" And so he told him his theories, and reasons behind them, and when he was finished, the man infront of him looked alot paler than he had done a few minutes ago. He seemed to be most shocked about the fact a member of his own staff had been suffering from such severe depression and he hadn't even noticed it. Or maybe he had, and had tried to ignore it, with the thought it was nothing serious...But, judging from the look on his face, it was in actual fact, worse even than Remus had suspected.

"You understand that that's a very serious allegation to make," he started gravely, but he knew that Remus had been earnest, and he couldn't help admitting that everything he had said made sense. "I think we shall have to go about this directly, no beating about the bush. Remus, if you would be so kind as to bring Minerva down to my office, and I shall seek out the other parties involved."

**********

Around half way through the meeting that had been going on in Dumbledore's office between Remus and himself, Minerva had started to see things in a way that, to her, seemed clear.

The way she was feeling, the way she felt, it was going to be like that forever. There was no way around it. And eventually, she was going to die. Just like that. And there was nothing to be done. Remus had said so himself...the only known way the break the enchantment was with her death.

She wondered if there had been any point in her living to this point, she found it hard to believe that she had been born, just to die alone and miserable. And she knew it didn't have to be like that. It didn't have to drag on. She could stop it, end it now. Then all the miserableness would be gone, and she wouldn't have to sit around waiting for death to come to her.

Thinking about it, everything seemed to make sense. It wouldn't take much doing, and then she would be gone and it would be over. A slight tingle of excitement ran up her spine as she reached for her wand. For a moment she wondered how to do it. She refused to just die, and be gone before anyone knew it. But she knew she didn't have the strength to do anything near as exciting as jump from the astronomy tower, which would have certainly been an interesting way to die.

It didn't worry her that she was sat thinking about interesting ways to kill herself, she was going to die anyway, so she might as well make it dramatic.

After a few minutes hesitation, she pointed her wand at the poker besides the fireplace in the room and muttered "Inatum transforum." and instead of a dark poker, there was a sharp dagger sat by her fire. Another cry of "Accio!" brought it to her side, and she turned it over in her hands. The hilt was encrusted with small rubies, and the point was long and sharp. It would do just fine.

Without a moment's hesitation, she plunged it silently between her ribs, around the place she supposed her heart to be, and fell to the floor silently, before a cry of pain could even leave her lips.

********

In a room in the west wing of the castle, Severus Snape sat up with a jolt. He felt as though a sudden warm feeling had just rushed into his body, and a thousand forgotten memories were dancing before his eyes.

"What's wrong?" the naked figure next to him mummered.

"N-nothing," he managed to push out, for his head was swimming at such a rate he had difficulty thinking straight.

"Then lay down honey, come on, relax..." He found himself being pulled back down beneath the covers of the bed, and had to struggle to remain sitting. Rebecca sat up and pushed the hair out of her eyes, exasperated. "Come on, something's up. Tell me."

"I-it's just...I feel...and...Minerva," He croaked, wondering what was happening to him. Rebecca tutted crossly.

"Come on sweetie, I'm not **that** bad surely?" She tugged at his arm in an attempt to pull him back down, but the only movement he made was to his feet. He started to pull his robes on absent mindedly, a look of complete bewilderment plastered to his face.

"Sev, sweetheart, now you're just being annoying," Rebecca whined. "Pwease tell me what's wrong," she said in a childish voice, a sulky look on her face. He turned to her, shaking himself slightly and said:

"I don't really know, it's just, all of a sudden, for no reason, I felt warm all over, and all these moments I spent with Minerva came rushing back to me, but I hadn't even realised I'd forgotten them, and now, now I've got this feeling like I really shouldn't be here, like there's somewhere else I should be and-"

"You're babbling sweetie. Come on, you're just tired, and it's not even that late, lay down."

But before he even had a chance to respond, there was a knock at the door, which started to open immediately afterwards.

Rebecca let out a small scream as Albus Dumbledore entered the room, and quickly pulled the bedclothes around her as tightly as they would go.

He did look suitably embarrassed, but there was also a look on his face that was very rarely seen by anyone, and it took Severus a moment to place it. Albus was furious.

He wasted no time apologising for bursting in, but started to speak immediately.

"I need to speak to the both of you if that's alright. Now, in my office."

"Wha-has something happened?" Severus asked, this sudden interruption not helping his confused state.

"Well, yes, and here isn't the place to talk about it, come," he motioned to the door.

"Well, I would do, if you'd go away and let me dress," Rebecca spoke, mild annoyance in her voice. This seemed to aggravate Dumbledore further, and he turned to her suddenly and snapped:

"I know what you have done," with no further explanation. For a moment, Rebecca look shocked, but she hid it well, and changed her expression to that of bewilderment.

"Really? Well I don't! Perhaps you'd like to enlighten me a little?"

"Don't play dumb, a couple of drops of Veritsium and I'll have the truth, but it would save everyone alot of hassle if you'd just come out with it." In all the time he'd known her, Severus had never seen Rebecca looking frightened. She always seemed to have everything under control, everyone wrapped around her little finger. Burt not now. Now she looked terrified. And he was completely lost.

"What's going on?" he asked Albus. Instead of answering his question, Albus said:

"Severus, I need you to be truthful now. Have you felt at all strange recently?" It was as if he was reading his mind. Was it possible that he knew all of what had just happened? He didn't know, but told him of the strange feeling that had just overcome him anyway. When he finished speaking, Dumbledore looked weaker than he had ever seen him look before. He thought he saw his mouth form the words "But that must mean-" although he wasn't sure. After a couple of second hesitation though, he whirled around to the door, barking at Severus not to let Rebecca leave the castle, and set off at a speed he had never seen him assume before. 

Utterly confused, he performed a locking charm on the door anyway, and turned around to find Rebecca attempting to climb out of the window. Something told him that there was something going on.

*******

When Remus had stumbled into Minerva's chamber to find her lying on the floor quite still, with a dagger through her chest, he cursed himself silently for leaving her alone, even for a few minutes.

He had dropped to his knees quickly, only to realise that she was neither breathing, nor was her heart beating. Around him, the stone floor was covered with crimson blood, which was still pouring relentlessly from her chest.

Attempting to get over his initial shock, he realised he was going to have to do something, and quickly. Without another thought, he pulled the dagger from her chest and tossed it to one side, then pulled out his wand and closed the wound with a charm he had learnt long ago, and though the floor was still covered in blood, she at least wasn't bleeding any more.

Thinking quickly, he paced over to the fire and, removing the lid of a small pot sat atop it, he took out a blue powder, and threw it into the flames, muttering incoherent words as he did so. Almost immediately, a blonde female head appeared in the flames.

"Which emergency service do you require?" She asked, in a bored voice.

"I need an air ambulance immedialty," he said, rushed.

"Where to? And what is the state of the patient?" She enquired, still sounding disinterested, although he could here her tapping something down.

"Hogwarts. And the patient, she isn't, well I don't think she's.... alive." He finally managed to say. Finally, the woman looked interested. He heard her tapping more down, until, after a second, she looked up and assured him:

"They're on their way. Can you tell me how long the patient has been dead?"

"It can't have been long, only a few minutes." More tapping.

"And what's the cause of death?" 

"Suicide, she, uh, stabbed herself." Yet more tapping.

"And in what area has the patient stabbed herself?"

"The chest, around the heart I think." A final bout of tapping was followed by reassurance.

"Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be fine."

"But she's dead!" He exclaimed, bewildered.

"Yes, but all the staff at St Mungo's are perfectly capable, and as long as her heart didn't stop beating too long ago, and they can get her in before she looses too much blood, then there's a 64 and three quarter percent of a chance she'll be fine."

Remus sat down on the edge of her bed dizzily. This was too much to take in.

"You really think she stands a chance?"

"Look, like I said the St Mungo's staff are all perfectly capable. She couldn't be in better hands."

Then, two things happened. There was the sound of shattering glass at the window as a group of men and women in white coats pushed their way into the room, and the door was pushed open as Albus Dumbledore forced his way into the room.

He blinked furiously, trying to take in what he saw before him, but, Remus noted, he didn't look too shocked. It was like he'd been expecting it. He wished someone had warned him how he would be spending New Years eve.

He watched in silent awe as Minerva's body was strapped to a stretcher in much the same way as that of a person being taken into mental care, they were making sure there was no risk of her falling off. And then, before he knew what was happening, four heavy-set men on broomsticks had taken a corner of the stretcher each, and she was being flown high into the sky and bundled into what he assumed to be an invisible ambulance.

And then they were gone, and there were only three people remaining in the room, himself, Dumbledore, and the head of the woman he had been talking to in the fire place. She was grinning, trying to be reassuring.

"Like I said, there's a good chance she'll be fine. She might be dead right now, but just you wait and see. Isn't it amazing how fast the team got there? Bet ya didn't know they could move that fast huh?" There was something in the preppiness of her voice that was profoundly irritating. He was glad when Dumbledore addressed her, he didn't think he'd have been able to keep his cool.

"So when will we know if she's going to be alright?" He asked her quietly.

"In around ten minutes." She saw the surprised look on Remus's face and said: "Haven't had many dealings with the air ambulance squad before huh? They don't just sit around twiddling their thumbs at St Mungo's you know, it's not like they're under the NHS!" She found this incredibly funny and burst into peals of laughter. "But seriously, if you send someone along to the hospital, give it ten minutes and we'll give you and answer on way or another."

"Thank you, you've been most helpful," Dumbledore told her. He sounded worryingly grave.

"Well that's good to hear, ta ta now!" And then she was gone, and only they remained.

Albus looked older than ever, worn, and tired, and, more than anything, worried.

"Did she say what her chances were?" He asked Remus, addressing him directly for the first time since he had entered the room.

"Sixty four and three quarter percent I think..."

"Then there's a thirty five and a quarter percentage that doesn't look to good." He really didn't look hopeful.

"The woman, in the fire, she seemed to think she'd be fine-"

"I see you have had little dealings with the way of the emergency services Remus. Yes, in theory, there's a good chance she would be fine, were it a simple suicide bid. But when there are charms, curses and bewitchments involved, who can tell? Come, keep your mind off of it for now, there are other matters we must attend to."

*******

Remus later remembered them as the longest ten minutes of his life. While Albus took Severus to one side, and quietly told him of everything that had taken place, Remus himself was left with the job of having Rebecca dealt with.

Locked in a room with a hysterical woman who was desperately trying to escape by any means possible was never going to be fun, but locked in a room with a hysterical woman trying to escape by any means possible, throwing all the curses she could think of at him **and** attempting to alert the emergency services proved to be downright awkward.

He couldn't help but feel that Dumbledore had handed him this job purposefully to keep his mind off things, but it certainly worked. The first thing he did was quieten Rebecca down, by disarming her, and knocking her out in the process. He then tied her up in the corner just to be on the safe side.

When he turned to the fire and went to the operator, he was dismayed to see a familiar blonde head appear at the other end.

"Hello lovey!" She gushed. "Just can't stay out of trouble can you? What is it now?" He described the situation to her tentatively. She looked a little shocked, but he was glad when she kept her cool.

"Well you'll not just want a control officer then, you'll need someone from St Clarences..."

"St Clarences? Another hospital? I've never heard of it..."

"Well you wouldn't have duckie, it's very hush hush. And no, it's not a hospital, well, I suppose it is in a way but-"

"Look, just tell me what the damn thing is would you?" He snapped, his temper beginning to fray. 

"A loony bin lovey. They'll be able to deal with your friend there, just let me get hold of them..."

And so Rebecca had been taken away too, in much the same way as Minerva had, strapped tightly to a stretcher, with the only major difference being that Rebecca was kicking and screaming. 

When he eventually emerged from the room, feeling at least twenty years older, he found Albus outside. Severus however, was no where to be seen.

"Went off to St Mungo's the minute he knew which was up," Albus explained. "And well done, you handled that particular situation well."

"Yes well...how long has it been?"

"An hour." Remus was a little shocked, he wasn't aware that such an amount of time had passed.

"Any news?" he asked urgently.

"Well they kept to their word, it only took ten minutes. At which point I received a message via my own fire place..." From the look on Remus's face he saw that he was being willed to get to the point.

"Let's just say we wont have to start looking for a new Transfigurations teacher just yet shall we?" He laughed aloud at the look of relief on Remus's face. Now, it's a quarter to twelve, and there's a firework display I'm rather keen to see. What a way to ring in the new year ay?" 

For the first time in hours, Remus laughed aloud.

*******

Meanwhile, at St Mungo's, an equally dramatic scene was taking place. Severus, still numb with shock and without a clue what he was going to do, or say, had managed to talk his way into the ward where he knew Minerva was being kept, despite protests of visiting hours ending almost six hours ago.

The ward sister glared at him disapprovingly, as if she really didn't think he ought to be allowed in the hospital at all, but eventually conceded, and swung the large ward doors open to let him through.

He could see by the light of his wand (even though she had let him in, the ward sister drew the line at turning on any lights for fear of waking the patients) that the room was far from full.

There were a few sleeping bodies, but as he entered, a solitary figure at the far end of the room sat up and returned his gaze steadily. Then burst into uncontrollable tears as he hurried to her bedside and wrapped his arms around her tightly.

He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed the top of her head over and over again, each time pulling her closer and closer to himself. After a long time, he pulled back ever so slightly, and just gazed at the woman before him.

Her hair was hanging around her shoulders in dark tangled curls and her eyes were tired and heavy, but she was smiling; she was also still crying, but the tears were different to those she had been crying for weeks without reason.

She rubbed at her eyes with her fingertips, and when she moved her hands away her eyes were left red and blotchy, but throughout it all, she didn't once stop smiling.

"Min," he croaked, but it was all he could say. She seemed to understand, and forced her way back into his arms, demanding to be hugged. 

"Is it all over?" she whispered eventually.

"I think so...I still can't believe it happened." He found his voice at last. 

"It all seems like a dream...or a nightmare. But I don't remember properly. I know I was upset...but I can't remember how it actually felt..."

"Well obviously bad enough for you do drive a knife between your ribs," he commented, casting his eyes downwards to the rough spot where the dagger had entered her chest, although it was now covered by a night dress. He ran a finger in a line across the spot anyway, but couldn't be sure it was the **exact** spot.

"It just all seems far away." She leant her head to one side and screwed up her mouth, as if trying to remember, but gave up.

"I know what you mean. When Albus told me what had gone on, I just couldn't believe it. I had no idea she was capable of doing something like that..."

"I'm curious to know just how much of it was actually her, and how much of it was us being stubborn and jumping to conclusions."

"Hey, I'm not the one that-" he started, but she put a finger to his lips to silence him.

"Let's not dwell on it okay? Maybe it would be best if we pretend that the past few weeks never happened...and keep quiet the fact that I tried to kill myself because of you..."

"You didn't try, you **did**, for a couple of minutes at least."

"That's the scary part...I can't actually remember feeling dead though..."

"Well you wouldn't."

"Why? I would have thought I'd remember dying."

"Well maybe you weren't dead for long enough to do anything worth remembering. Your heart only stopped for a couple of minutes after all."

"I guess so. I don't know what I was expecting anyway, maybe a bright light or something..." He laughed at the ridiculousness of the conversation, a real laugh, unlike anything she'd ever heard come from him before.

"You could at least pretend to be sad that I was dead," she said, prodding him in the side.

"Well I didn't find out you'd died until after they'd resuscitated you again, so it didn't actually seem like that big a deal, you know, seeing as how you were alive and all..."

"Thanks."

"You know I didn't mean it like that!"

"Yeah, I do." She rolled her eyes, and smiled at him, and he ran his index finger down the side of her face gently.

"Just don't die again okay?"

"Only if you promise never to take up with an evil she-demon again." Now it was his turn to roll his eyes.

"I don't know about that," he teased, but then said, more seriously: "I promise. I love you Min." A pleasant shiver ran through her body.

"Really?"

"Yeah. I only realised just now, but I do."

"I love you too..." For a second he smiled, although it could have been a trick of the light, but before she had time to try and work out which it was they were kissing gently, and as they pulled apart, she vaguely noticed the clock on the far wall ticking slowly over midnight.

   [1]: mailto:melissa.watt@btinternet.com



End file.
